Managing your child's health

As your teen transitions to adulthood, your continued support is needed. Below is a list of skills and tips to help you support your teen or young adult as they begin to take charge and manage their health more independently.

• Early transition (14 – 16 years old)

  Know your teen’s health condition and medications 
  Learning about their health and medical condition as much as they are able is the first step in your teen’s journey to adulthood and they need your help. Below are skills for your teen to learn and tips on how you can help them.

  • Describe their medical condition.
    • Talk to your teen about their medical condition. Help them learn the name of their medical condition and what it means to have this diagnosis.  Answer any questions they have.
  • Describe their medical history.
    • Help your teen learn about their medical history. This includes any surgeries or procedures they have had.  Let them practice giving their medical history to their health care team at their next visits.
  • Describe their signs and symptoms.
    • Help your teen learn the signs and symptoms of when their medical condition is getting worse. Talk about when and how to let others know and seek medical attention.
  • Learn their medicines, including names, amount and reason they take each one.
    • Teach your teen about their medications. Help them learn the names of their medicines and amounts. Talk to them about how their medicines affect their medical condition and the importance of taking each medication as prescribed. 
  • Describe specialty medical equipment they use.
    • Help your teen identify their specialty medical equipment, how to use the equipment, and how to explain their needs to the doctor.

• Middle transition (15 – 17 years old)

  Help your teen manage their health condition
  As your teen begins to learn about their health condition and medicines, it is also important that they being to learn how to manage their health as independently as possible. Below are tips to support your teen.

  • Talk to their health care team.
    • Help your teen talk directly to their health care team and let them answer any questions the health care team has about their health.  Have your teen write down questions and practice asking them. 
  • Understand their health-related rights.
    • When your teen turns 18 years old, they will be an adult and will be responsible for making medical decision on their own. They will also begin to sign their own consents and will need to give the health care teams permission to share information with you. Talk to your teen as they begin to make decisions about their health. Some teens may need your continued support in making medical decisions.  If your teen is unable to make medical decisions for themselves, legal tools for medical decision-making must be in place, if needed. Talk with their health care team about these options for medical decision making, if needed.
  • Learn the differences between pediatric and adult healthcare.
    • Talk with your teen about the differences between a pediatric doctor and an adult doctor. Talk about what to expect when they transfer from a pediatric doctor to an adult doctor.
  • Learn how to refill their medications.
    • Talk with your teen about the steps for refilling their medicine.  Let them watch and listen as you refill medications.  Let them practice calling the pharmacy with you, as they are able, the next time a refill is needed.
  • Know their health care team and their role in caring for your teen’s medical condition.
    • Help your teen learn the names of their health care team and how they help care for them. This team could include a primary care doctor, specialists, nurses, social workers, child life specialists, psychologists, or dieticians.
  • Learn when and how to contact their health care team
    • Talk with your teen about when they you should contact their health care team. Help them gather their health care team’s contact information so that they can reach out if help managing their health is needed.
  • Learn how to make an visits.
    • Talk to your teen about making an visits with their doctor office. Have your teen watch and listen as you make an visits, either by phone or patient portal, and let them practice making an visits with your help the next time one is needed.
  • Know when your teen needs to go to emergency room.
    • Talk with your teen about what to do if they need emergency care.  Help them locate the nearest emergency room. Talk about who to call if they have an emergency.  

  • Know how your teen is going to get to and from doctor’s visits.
    • Talk with your teen about transportation to and from doctor’s visits. If you set up transportation, let your teen watch and listen to how you set up transportation. Let them practice setting up transportation with your support the next time transportation needs to be scheduled. 

• Late transition (17 – 18 years old)

  Knowledge of health insurance and community resources 
  As your teen becomes a young adult, talk to them about their future for health insurance, school, work, and living situations. Below are tips to help support your young adult as they plan for their future.

  • Understand different types of insurance.
    • Talk with your young adult and explain the different types of health insurance. Talk to them about their current insurance and explain how it works. 
  • Apply or re-apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
    • Around the age of 18, your young adult will need to re-apply for SSI as an adult. Information about re-applying should be received by mail from Social Security Administration. Help your young adult complete and return application.
  • Identify health insurance coverage for the upcoming year.
    • Help your young adult understand their current insurance and learn when coverage will end. Explain what options they have for health insurance and how to find a new health insurance plan.
  • Identify a plan for the future for school, work, and living situations.
    • Talk to young adult about their future goals and how they will achieve them. Have them speak to their counselor to help them plan for school or work.  Help them apply for scholarships and financial aid if they plan to go to college.
  • Identify accommodation needs for school or work.
    • Talk to your young adult about what assistance they may need to be successful at school or work. Have them talk to their health care team about how to get the assistance they need.
  • Identify at least two people to ask for assistance when needed.
    • Help your young adult identify two people who can help them become more independent as they move into adulthood. 

  For more education and tools on managing your health, click here.
  For more resources, click here.