Adolescent Visit FAQ

What is adolescent health?

At Northwestern Children’s Practice, we provide comprehensive care for adolescents and young adults, generally through age 21. This includes nutrition assessment, mental-health screening, risk assessment, preventive counseling, and physical examinations. Patterns and habits formed during adolescence can have a lasting effect on health and well-being throughout adulthood.

What physical health needs are important for adolescents?

Adolescent visits offer young people opportunities to take increasing responsibility for their health. Healthy eating, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and annual preventive visits help build lifelong habits. Adolescents with chronic conditions such as asthma, depression, or ADHD can also strengthen the skills they need to understand and manage their health as they move toward adulthood.

What mental health needs are important for adolescents?

Coping, resilience, and sound decision-making are important skills that develop during adolescence. Mental-health conditions, including depression and anxiety, are common during these years, so recognizing warning signs and encouraging open conversations is important. Northwestern Children’s Practice also addresses LGBTQIA+ health, behavioral and school concerns, media use, social media, and cyberbullying.

Are there special areas of care that affect adolescents?

Adolescence can involve new risks, including impaired driving, substance use, sexual-health concerns, and unhealthy or abusive relationships. Open, developmentally appropriate conversations among young people, families, and medical providers should begin early and continue through young adulthood.