Do you talk about me when I am not in the room?
I recently went to the doctor and found out from my younger sister that while I was in the other room, the doctor and my mother were talking about a different doctor I should go see when I am sixteen. I am upset that I was not aware of any of this. If you can't talk about this with me, then why can you talk about me with my mom and while my little sister was listening?
We absolutely do NOT want to talk about your personal health issues behind your back! Parents often ask us a general question about when our patients need to see an adult provider or a gynecologist, as a matter of routine, and not something about you as an individual. Please check out the Teen informational part of our website re: our privacy policy for teens! We provide confidential care to our teens, with an exception for matters of life and death, which just about never happen. We do sometimes LISTEN to parents' concerns without your presence, as they still have a right to communicate with us, but we do not divulge any private information at that time. Sometimes we go as far as a little reassurance that maybe they don't need to be so worried about you. I suspect that your little sister was allowed to listen only because it was, in fact, a general question that your mom was asking. You do have a loyal sister!
Sometimes parents think that at age 16 or 18 their children have to transfer to adult medicine, or that girls need to go to gynecology when they start their periods. For general care, we at NAP are happy to see you till you are through college age. Between age 18 and 22, you are also welcome at adult medicine, and you may decide for yourself where you feel more comfortable. As far as gynecology goes, females don't need pelvic exams until they are 21, or have been sexually active for 3 years. Several of our providers offer basic gyn services, including period problems, birth control, and STD evaluation and treatment, referring to gynecology when there are more specialized concerns. So don't hesitate to call when you have a private question; we at NAP are here to help you stay smart and safe.
