Care by age: 12 to 18 years
Teen years: privacy, honesty and a doctor who listens
Puberty, sleep, acne, mood, sports, screens, vaping, relationships. Teens need a doctor they can talk to alone, and parents need a partner who tells them what matters. Here is what teen families ask us most, and what belongs in the cabinet.
NCQAPatient-Centered Medical HomeWhat these years are about
A body finishing, a brain still building
Puberty finishes the body by the mid-teens; the brain keeps rewiring into the mid-20s, with emotion and reward maturing ahead of judgment. That is why sleep, mood, screens, substances and risk-taking dominate these years, and why the yearly well visit includes time alone with the doctor from about 12. What a teen tells us stays private, with exceptions we explain to both of you.
Well visits cover growth, blood pressure, vision, sports clearance, vaccines (Tdap, meningococcal, HPV, and MenB at 16), and screening for depression, anxiety, eating concerns, substance use and safety. Adam J. Ayer, DNP focuses on adolescent care; Dr. Viswanadham sees teens in English or Spanish.
Most common questions
What teens and parents ask us
Anxiety and depression
The signs that go beyond moodiness, how we screen, and where help starts.
Sleep
Why teens cannot fall asleep at 10 p.m., and how to get 8 hours back without a fight.
Puberty
What to expect and when, periods, growth, and how to talk about it.
Acne
The over-the-counter routine that works in 12 weeks, and when prescription treatment prevents scars.
Vaping and nicotine
What to look for, how to talk about it, and how teens quit with support.
Confidentiality
What stays private, what Georgia lets teens consent to, and what changes at 18.
Screens and social media
Phones out of the bedroom, and the conversations that matter more than time limits.
Healthy weight
A family plan, not a diet, and the options for teens with obesity.
Sports and heat
Sports physicals, concussion, hydration and heat illness in Georgia summers.
Medicine cabinet
Over-the-counter basics for teens
| Situation | What is appropriate | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Fever, headache, aches | From about 12 and 95 lb, adult doses of acetaminophen or ibuprofen; naproxen from 12 | Exceeding daily maximums; acetaminophen hidden in cold and sleep products; aspirin |
| Menstrual cramps | Ibuprofen or naproxen started at the first sign, heat, movement | Waiting until pain is severe; missing school every month without a visit |
| Acne | Adapalene 0.1% at night, benzoyl peroxide 2.5 to 5% in the morning, non-comedogenic moisturizer and SPF | Scrubs, toothpaste, picking, tanning |
| Allergies and colds | Cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine; steroid nasal spray; saline; single-ingredient cough products | Multi-symptom products; decongestants with certain heart or anxiety conditions, ask us |
| Sleep | Fixed wake time, light in the morning, phone out of the room; low-dose melatonin briefly, with our guidance | Nightly melatonin; “PM” antihistamine products; energy drinks |
| Sports injuries and concussion | Rest, ice, compression, elevation; ibuprofen short term; for any head injury with symptoms, stop play and call us | Returning to play the same day after a head hit; ibuprofen in the first 24 hours after a concussion without advice |
| Contraception and emergency contraception | Condoms; levonorgestrel emergency contraception is over the counter at any age; a daily progestin-only pill (Opill) is over the counter; we discuss all options confidentially | Relying on apps or withdrawal; delaying emergency contraception past 72 hours |
| Supplements | A multivitamin if the diet is limited; vitamin D; iron only if we have checked levels | Pre-workout, creatine and weight-loss products; unregulated “focus” or “sleep” gummies |
Questions
Teen questions
Can my teen come to a visit alone?
From about 12, part of each well visit is private. A parent still consents to most routine care until 18; a teen can come alone for care Georgia lets them consent to, such as STI testing. See the confidentiality guide.
Do you screen for depression?
Yes, at every well visit from 12 with a standardized questionnaire, and whenever a parent or teen raises a concern. We treat mild to moderate depression and anxiety in the office and refer to therapists and psychiatrists when needed.
Should my teen get the meningitis B vaccine?
We recommend it at 16 to 18, especially before college, where outbreaks occur. It is separate from the MenACWY vaccine given at 11 and 16.
Do you offer telehealth for teens?
Yes, for follow-ups, mental health check-ins and many sick visits, for patients in Georgia at the time of the visit.
A doctor your teen will talk to
Schedule a well visit or a confidential check-in. Call or text (770) 615-7000; teens can message through the portal.