Get updates
Have a parenting hack to share? Or a topic you'd like to see?
Top 10 tips for teens transitioning to adult medical care
Most parents have a mental list of skills they want their teen to have before they become an adult: laundry lessons, money management and cooking basics, to name a few. But have you talked with your teen about how to handle their own health care?
From making appointments to understanding which medications they take and why, there are key things your child needs to know as they become more independent. Start working on these with your teen once they hit double digits and grow their confidence, one step at a time.
By the time they reach adulthood, your child should be able to:
- Give a 3-sentence summary (“elevator speech”) to describe their medical problems to their providers.
- Explain their medical history and any specific health conditions they have.
- Provide a list of medications and share it with any outside provider, school nurses and college campus health clinics.
- Explain how alcohol, drugs and tobacco could affect their medical problem and overall health.
- Ask for help and seek emergency care for medical problems.
- Keep their insurance card and list of medical providers in their phone/wallet.
- Create a Health Passport – a personalized document with key health information – and keep a copy with them in their phone/wallet.
- Enroll in and explore the patient portal. If your child is a Children’s Mercy patient, they can access their patient portal starting at age 13.
- For people who will need ongoing parental or caregiver support as an adult, work with agencies and a lawyer to establish limited or full guardianship at age 18.
- Work with their medical team to find and contact a new adult provider.
Patients with medical complexities may have additional goals to ensure they get the care they need in adulthood. These include things like how to obtain transportation, apply for Medicaid and understanding options for living situations. Learn more about these goals here.
Children’s Mercy’s Transition to Adulthood program has resources to help prepare your child for adult care. Take this quiz to gauge your child’s readiness and download forms to help you with the process here.
It’s tough to let go of the reins when you’ve been an important advocate and manager of your child’s health care for many years, but it’s truly worth it to encourage their independence and set them up for success in the future. If your family wants to learn more about planning for adulthood, attend the 2024 Transition to Adulthood Family Education Day on Sept. 28, 2024. Click here to register or learn more!