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There’s a certain comfort in going to a great pediatrician. A doctor that you and your child trust can be a rare find. But as mom Girlie Salguiero points out, in some cases it can make kids not want to transition to a regular doctor. “My son was in his 20's when he switched from his pediatrician's office," Salguiero told Mom.com. "On my account, he tolerated the kiddy chairs and the stickers on the walls."
At some point you have to stop seeing a pediatrician. "The front office put their foot down though when my son turned 22,” Salguiero said.
That might be a little old for most of our kids to transition out and start going to an “adult” doctor. There is no set in stone age for this, so how do you know as a parent when to make that transition happen?
When to stop seeing a pediatrician
Generally speaking, most kids transition out of the pediatrician around age 18. This is a period in their lives when they really are moving from adolescent to adult. But as Dr. Regine Brioche of Milk Drunk told Mom.com, the age will have more to do with individual maturity and communication skills than actual age. “Some factors that determine if it's appropriate to make the switch begins with the person's maturity level," Brioche told Mom.com. "Are they able to answer questions about their health without a family member chiming in? Are they responsible when it comes to making and keeping appointments without mom or dad taking charge?"
Brioche also said that a patient's unique circumstances may determine when they make the transition. "In some situations, when an individual has a complex medical history, because of the pediatrician's knowledge and duration of treating/caring for the patient, transitioning from the pediatrician to an adult physician may happen gradually over a few months to years,” she said.
She additionally discusses how a young adult may no longer feel comfortable talking to a pediatrican about more mature topics. Because they have such a long history together, they may feel the pediatrician is more like family and less of a resource of information. Some young adults may seek a new doctor just because they no longer feel comfortable in waiting rooms with toys and babies all the time.
At the same time, other kids might continue on through college like Girlie’s son because it is convenient and they don’t want to spend the time to look for a new doctor.
Outgrowing kids’ health issues
Sometimes kids will move on from their pediatrician because their health issues have changed. If a child starts to have more complex health issues requiring a general practioners or specialist more familiar with handling these medical issues, they should transition. These could include conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
Your pediatrician deals with more than just diaper rashes and fevers and is more than capable of addressing the very adult conversations that occur with older children. Young adults will typically stay with their pediatrician for routine growth conditions and concerns such as puberty.
How to change pediatricians and doctors
The transition of care should start as a conversation approximately one to two years prior to the actual change. This helps children prepare for the transition mentally and ask any questions they may have leading up to the transition.
“The patient, parents, and provider should plan for the next step in the individual's care. Like graduating from school, knowing that you will be graduating from your pediatrician's care will make the process less jaunting," Dr. Brioche continued. "Having time to practice taking charge of one's care independently while still seeing a provider who knows you well is an excellent way to gain autonomy regarding one's health. Also, while preparing for the change in care, this time allows an individual to get advice about practices and recommendations for a subsequent provider.”
When looking for a new provider, think about what you like and what you don’t like about your pediarician. If you are overall very satisfied with your pediatrician, ask them for recommendations for new providers. If that doesn’t work, look at your own care providers and ask family and friends for recommendations. Once you have some names to consider, do online research to see what types of reviews they have and then schedule an appointment to meet with them. This is your chance to interview the provider and ask questions.
Note: During COVID, ask the doctor about having preliminary vists virtually. If you are taking your child to see a doctor in person, make sure to ask about the facility's safety measures and confirm that they are following COVID protocols as indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)
Some of the key questions to ask are:
- What are the overall treatment philosophies of the doctor/medical group?
- What hospital affiliations do they have?
- How easy is it to make appointments for regular checkups? Emergency visits?
- How is the staff about communicating with patients?
Involve your child in the conversations because transitioning to an adult doctor will mean they must be ready to communicate health concerns and backgrounds with the provider. Generally, mom won’t be going in to appointments once the transition happens.
