Fifteen to Seventeen Year Well Visit

Healthy Lifestyle

• Continue with your dental visits, brushing and flossing.

• Wear hearing protection when exposed to loud noise such as music at concerts.

• With all of the changes of puberty, now is the time for your adolescent to begin to develop their own plans to combining healthy eating and physical activity into their life choices.  Keep a variety of healthy foods at home.  Don’t buy junk food or soda.

• Eat three meals each day.  Don’t skip breakfast.  If your adolescent buys lunch at school, talk about healthy choices that are available or pack a balanced lunch.

• Choose water instead of sports drinks, soda or juice.

• Be physically active with play, games, physical education, recreation or organized spots.  Do something every day that makes you sweat.  Try to be active for an hour each day.  Drink plenty of water during physical activity to prevent heat cramps, exhaustion and heat stroke.

• Limit screen time (TV, video, DVD, computer) as a way to stay physically active.

• Young people are more likely to make healthy choices if they stay connected to family and live with clear rules.  Peer pressure can be both positive and negative.  Talk about evaluating friendships to make sure they are good for you.  Encourage the things that make your adolescent unique.  It is appropriate to have rules for things like curfews and driving.  Have an understanding about limits, consequences and independent decision making.

• Encourage trying community involvement, cultural or religious activities.

• Your adolescent should be taking responsibility for homework and deadlines. Give support to interest in college or vocational training.  If you are not comfortable giving direction, talk with guidance counselors at your adolescent’s school.

• Encourage reading for pleasure and relaxation.

• Encourage interest in news and in the outside world through newspaper, internet, and radio and television news.

• Talk with your pediatrician if your adolescent is having trouble handling stress.  Help your adolescent problem solve rather than giving all the answers. Sometimes adolescents feel too sad, depressed, bored, hopeless, nervous, or angry to do the things they enjoy or to make plans toward future goals. If this is the case, talk to your pediatrician so we can help you.

• It is important for your adolescent to have accurate information about sexuality, physical development and contraception.  If you, as a parent are not able to talk about this, ask us to help with resources.  Abstaining from sexual intercourse is the safest way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).  Many people do not realize that STIs can be transmitted through oral or anal sex.  If your adolescent is sexually active, make sure he/she has accurate information about contraception.

• Adolescents should not smoke, drink or use drugs, inhalants, anabolic steroids or diet pills.  Smoking can hurt your lungs and alcohol and other drugs are bad for brain development.  Support friends who choose not to engage in these dangerous behaviors.

• If parents smoke, stop.  Never expose your children to second hand smoke.  If there is alcohol in the home, set a good example through responsible use. Consider locking alcohol and prescription drugs.

Safety

• Always wear a safety belt in a vehicle and a helmet when riding a bike, motorcycle, ATV or skateboard.

• Always wear water flotation clothing or a life guard approved jacket when engaging in boating or water sports.

• Always wear protective gear for sports.

• Never ride in a vehicle with someone who has used drugs or alcohol.

• Consider rules for graduated driving privileges that limit night driving for adolescents until they have gained more experience.  Limit the number of passengers your adolescent driver can have in the car.  Be sure to ride with your adolescent after they have their license, to help with safe driving instruction.

• The best way to keep an adolescent safe from injury or death from guns is to never have a gun in the home.  If it is necessary then the gun and ammunition should be locked separately and the key should be kept where the adolescent does not have access.

• Fighting and bullying indicate conduct disorders or might be a result of anxiety, depression, or substance abuse.  Talk about managing conflict in nonviolent ways.  

• Avoid risky situations.  Avoid violent situations.  Teach your adolescent to call you for help if they feel threatened or uncomfortable in a situation.  

• Talk openly about dating relationships.  Healthy relationships are built on respect, concern and doing things both of you like to do.  Do not stay in a violent relationship.  Remember no means no and saying no is OK.