Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine
Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine
Adolescence is a complicated time for young people as they transition from children to adults. The Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Mercy provides comprehensive specialty consult care for a wide range of physical and emotional issues that are unique to adolescents ages 10-21.
What is an adolescent medicine specialist?
An adolescent medicine specialist is a physician who has additional years of subspecialized training in treating preteens, teens and young adults. Rapid and intense changes in the brain and body take place during adolescence, and doctors in this specialty have focused their efforts on understanding how best to help young people with their medical needs.
Just like neonatologists focus on infants and geriatricians work with the elderly, adolescent medicine is age-specific, not condition-specific. It encompasses all types of issues that are typical in the teenage years, from acne to menstrual concerns to behavioral health, but through the lens of the adolescent’s ever-changing needs.
Children’s Mercy’s adolescent medicine specialists are pediatricians and family medicine providers who have undergone additional adolescent medicine training and certification. They regularly participate in continuing education to stay up-to-date on the issues facing teens today. Our clinic also includes advanced practice providers and other support staff who enjoy helping young people.
About the Adolescent Specialty Clinic
The Adolescent Specialty Clinic can help you and your family with in-depth care for medical needs that go beyond what your primary care provider usually cares for in a typical office visit. Your primary care provider can consult the Adolescent Medicine Specialists about any adolescent medicine issue that needs more specialized care.
Your first visit with our adolescent medicine specialists is 60 minutes long. This allows the care team to really get to know your teen and build a comprehensive treatment plan with a whole-person approach.
The Adolescent Specialty Clinic works collaboratively with other departments at Children’s Mercy, including Gynecology, Endocrinology, Developmental and Behavioral Services, and many others.
If you think your family would benefit from seeing one of our adolescent medicine specialists, ask your primary care provider for a referral. We will always keep your primary care provider informed about the treatment plan so that everyone can work together to help you.
Clinical Services
The Adolescent Specialty Clinic is available for consultation at the request of your primary care provider. We provide specialty in-person or telemedicine consultations at four Kansas City metro-area Children’s Mercy locations as well as telemedicine appointments in four of our outreach clinics across Missouri and Kansas. Our adolescent specialists also serve the unique populations of University Academy, Synergy, and Crittenton Center. In addition, you or your primary care provider can request a consultation with the Adolescent Medicine Vaping Cessation Clinic. Please call (816) 960-4152 to make an appointment.
Conditions
We care for adolescents ages 10-21 who are dealing with any of the following medical issues:
- Acne
- Alcohol use, risk reduction and cessation
- Behavioral concerns such as school avoidance, at-risk youth, sleep disturbances
- Complex and chronic disease during adolescence
- Comprehensive contraception (pills, patch, ring, shot, implant, intrauterine)
- Development and growth of the adolescent (social, emotional, physical)
- Emergency contraception
- HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
- Male and female reproductive health care planning and counseling
- Marijuana use, risk reduction and cessation
- Medication management for adolescents who need multiple medications
- Medication management of depression, anxiety and ADHD
- Menstrual concerns and assistance with menstrual management
- Mental health assessment, recommendations and medication management
- Orthostatic intolerance (dysautonomia, POTS, NMH, chronic fatigue, non-cardiac syncope/near
syncope) - PCOS, metabolic syndrome
- Sexuality anticipatory guidance, sexual orientation and LGBTQ+ care
- Sexually transmitted infections (prevention, screening and treatment)
- Smoking and nicotine cessation
- Eating disorders: If known or highly suspected, please also consider the Eating Disorders Clinic
- Gender dysphoria/transgender: please also consider Gender Pathways Services in the Endocrine Clinic
Contact Adolescent Medicine
Adolescent Specialty Clinic
(816) 960-4152