Night Elf Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have Kaiser Permanente. They expect people up to age 21 to see the pediatrician. My kids feel quite strange sitting in an exam room with cartoony characters all over the walls and the paper on the table. I think my oldest dd requested a regular GP when she was 20 though. I just wondered what is the norm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My kids get their last booster shots at 12 or so. At that point we stop going to the ped. It helps that we are healthy and would only go for sick visits anyway, and that's easily and more conveniently handled at the local walk-in place for the once a year we might need it. My boys especially would not appreciate going to the little kid doctor at this point of their lives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My kids have had the same pediatrician their whole lives. One will likely want to see the pediatrician as long as possible due to comfort level, I expect the other to want a gp instead long before aging out. It varies by practice, but up to age 21 is not uncommon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 They generally CAN see them until age 21 but many switch to a GP around 12-14. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Our pediatrician "graduates" kids from her practice at age 19. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 21 is certainly possible, but if your kid isn't comfortable with that you could get a family med doc. They see all ages. Or just get a regular doc. It's not a huge deal either way though. They can handle the same sorts of things you might go to a regular doc for. I think it's really nice when you have a long time established doctor. That is one thing I had a tough time with when I moved. Finding someone. I still am not happy with my latest doc, but I've tried three now so I'm just going with it. My ped growing up I saw until I was 17. I took my kids to him when they were little little (until we moved). He's still practicing. He was great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noreen Claire Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My oldest (21) sees his ped for the last time later this month. She will discuss finding an adult doc during the appt. He's been going to the same place since he was 6mos old! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 We have Kaiser, too, and my ds20 transitioned over to the adult doctor when he was 18. I tried that and the dumb guy wouldn't let me. I guess I shouldn't have asked about ages. I'm sure he has a script to go by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 18 seems to be the norm around here, although the practice we use(d) says they will see their patients through college. DS18 just had his last meningitis B vaccine and I expect that will be the last time he goes to his pediatrician's office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Until our pediatrician up and abruptly left the area the kids had intended to just keep going to her. Office is not super kiddie looking (although it is kid friendly) and they were treated appropriately for their ages and they had known her all their lives and knew she cared and understood them. Now that our ped is unexpectedly gone? I'm shifting both over to our GP. I didn't realize that a parent could be forced to keep a child with a pediatrician... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Mine will probably go until they are 21. They love their pediatricians. For the yearly physical for school sports/college it is just easier to go where they have always gone. I have suggested switching and they both said no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 Until our pediatrician up and abruptly left the area the kids had intended to just keep going to her. Office is not super kiddie looking (although it is kid friendly) and they were treated appropriately for their ages and they had known her all their lives and knew she cared and understood them. Now that our ped is unexpectedly gone? I'm shifting both over to our GP. I didn't realize that a parent could be forced to keep a child with a pediatrician... I'm not sure they would do it if I absolutely insisted. Kaiser has two designations, pediatrics and adult medicine. They've also had numerous physicians, as have I. You get assigned to a doctor but if that doctor leaves for whatever reason, you go with the new one. I've had physicians change facilities but I wasn't willing to drive to the new ones because of the distance. So far, in 21 years at Kaiser, I've only met one doctor I didn't like and I just made sure never to see him again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Our insurance also has our dependents in the pediatrician until 21, BUT the pediatrician had a separate adolescent clinic so it's not so weird for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Generally, peds see kids until 18 or 21. We had a pediatrician who was also the resident doctor for a high school boarding school, so he was an excellent doctor for teens. Sadly, he retired. Teens have specific issues that pediatricians are trained to address, but I wish they would all have teen specific rooms without the baby decor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 In my area it's normal for children to see a family doctor unless they have a childhood illness or condition. (Canada) Pedatricians are regarded as specialists in significant childhood health issues. Family doctors have enough pediatric training for what a well child needs from their everyday doctor (check ups, immunization, colds, flus, infections, and the like). It's common for moms and babies to simply begin seeing the same doctor, and to carry on doing so. (They also know what they are doing as far as when to refer a child to a paediatrician.) So, for me, it would be unusual to see a paediatrician at all, unless a condition warranted it. With a condition, I suppose it would depend on how that condition related to the maturing process. Probably until the patient's body was physically fully mature. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My older daughter stayed with her pediatrician until the first year of college. Then she switched to my doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My one daughter still went to the adolescent doctor after she turned eighteen. My son refused to go to doctors. My youngest has been going to our concierge doctor who is a family practice doctor.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 into their teens - as their chemistry is different than an adult. but they can start seeing a regular dr in their teens if they wish and the dr sees teens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My DD is 12, and she still sees a pediatrician, but the peds office has different parts of the waiting room for teens vs younger kids, and also uses different exam rooms to avoid the toys and cartoon characters. Realistically, she's rarely sick, so usually we're in once a year to get a physical so someone can sign her camp and sports forms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Our ped says they're now able to see young people up to 23yo. I think ds1 last saw the ped at 19yo because he wasn't established at a new practice and it was going to be easier to get him in at the ped for a strep test. The ped does have separate adolescent rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 It's awkward to be in there when the decor (and furniture) is geared toward little kids, but young bodies continue to grow and change in ways that a pediatrician may be best equipped to recognize and understand. Like, I remember in college I had a strange rash that was misdiagnosed at the health services (not a big deal, but they gave me something useless). On a second trip, it turned out that it was something only "kids" get - a reaction to a specific virus. The nurse said that a lot of places were trying to transition to having more pediatric specialists in college health services because you really needed to bridge the divide - people would have issues like that routinely. Of course, that was ages ago now, so I'm not sure what colleges do currently, but it does seem to make sense. Maybe in this world of specialties, a "young adult" practice would make the most sense, though I don't know if I've ever seen that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Our kids never saw a pediatrician, just a family practice doctor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Our pediatrician told me that patients through college age were welcome in their practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I remember when my brother was 16 and had a serious medical emergency. They put him in the pediatric ward. He was mortified. I guess I could understand going to a ped through adolescence, since they would understand growth and all that. But in my experience this is not done. My last ped visit was at age 11 (a sick visit - we didn't do well visits past babyhood). For my family, I signed up with a GP practice when my kids were tots, and we only went to the ped (from ages 5-9) when we were forced to by insurance changes / HMO stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooCow Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Our ped will see the kids until they graduate from college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Your Kaiser doesn't have an Adolescent Medicine clinic? We're no longer with Kaiser but the hospital we used to go to had a separate clinic just for 13+ with PCP's and gynecologists. I think a teen could keep the regular pediatrician if the family wanted, but we left Kaiser before my oldest was eligible to make the switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 peds see kids until age 21. My family doctor is a GP, so he treats the entire family, we don't have to go to different practices. But I was having to see my family pediatrician when I was in college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 Your Kaiser doesn't have an Adolescent Medicine clinic? We're no longer with Kaiser but the hospital we used to go to had a separate clinic just for 13+ with PCP's and gynecologists. I think a teen could keep the regular pediatrician if the family wanted, but we left Kaiser before my oldest was eligible to make the switch. Not that I'm aware of. When I call to make an appointment, that isn't an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 (edited) Ours has a separate teen waiting room and will see them until they are 21, if they wish. My 17 y.o. loves her doctor there and says she's going to stay until she's 21. We'll see. My 19 y.o. is living at home and going to college, and he switched to an internist at 18. He goes to the same practice DH and I do, but sees a different doctor for scheduled visits because our doctor had to stop taking new patients. They treat patients 16 and up. Edited February 7, 2017 by G5052 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Mine saw the ped. past age 21, since they rarely got ill, but if they did, he'd see them right away. After our car crash, he saw my adult son with autism at age 23 to check him out. Heck, back when the kids would get strep etc. the ped. would look at me, too, and give me a prescription if needed. The "kids" are now with a regular doctor, and the ped. has retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Not that I'm aware of. When I call to make an appointment, that isn't an option. I had no idea mine did until I had to go to some specialty department and happened to pass the Adolescent Medicine clinic on the way there. Kaiser hid it way in a back corner of the hospital, presumably for the privacy of easily-embarrassed teens :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 My son had not been to the doctor in years but when he turned 18, we got a note saying it was time his records be transferred to a regular physician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 I had no idea mine did until I had to go to some specialty department and happened to pass the Adolescent Medicine clinic on the way there. Kaiser hid it way in a back corner of the hospital, presumably for the privacy of easily-embarrassed teens :laugh: I once asked the doctor directly about the age thing. He didn't mention it so I can't imagine our Kaiser having it. I'll ask though the next time I call. That would be cool. Of course that doesn't help us specifically as my regular office is an office suite in a medical building attached to our county hospital. And dd's Kaiser where she goes to college is small too. I bet if Kaiser has anything like that, it would be at one of their larger facilities that are too far away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Oldest dd saw PED until she was 22 (we loved or PED!) Middle dd saw PED until she was 12 (then specialists due to complex medical issues) Youngest saw PED until she was 10-- then we switched to GP that was an hour closer! She was healthy until recently- and PED would not work with her current issues anyways-- so specialists it is for her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I tried that and the dumb guy wouldn't let me. I guess I shouldn't have asked about ages. I'm sure he has a script to go by. That's bizarre to me because back before we happened upon our current pediatrician, we only used family/general practice drs for all of us. The dr I had for my first 3 was my OB and our family dr. If I had a gp dr who wouldn't see kids, I think I needed a new gp. General practice is supposed to include all ages general medical needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 My sixteen year old son was at urgent care yesterday for an ear infection. I thought we were going to be stuck in the line that looked huge. I was totally surprised he was seen in the pediatric part instead of the adult part. We were in and out in less than an hour. The adults were staring at a hour plus wait. Score one for the kids section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 (edited) We are comfortable seeing patients up until 21 or occasionally older if they want to stay until they are finished with college. When asked this question in my office, I always answer that it is up to the teen or young adult. Some hate the babies in the waiting room and the cartoon characters and the general kiddie atmosphere. We have a couple of exam rooms that are fairly plain for that reason. Some teens would rather just stay with the doctor who knows them rather than switch. I've had teens say "Well, it's pretty embarrassing having to go to the doctor in general so I might as well come here where I know people." I do think it should be up to the individual teen. Everyone is different. Edited February 8, 2017 by Alice 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 There are also adolescent medicine specialists which may be an option. Growing up, we went to a family practioner. My kids see a ped, and my 13 year old still really likes her, so we are staying. But when he's uncomfortable, he'll have the choice to move to a different physician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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