Some schools or sports teams require annual physicals from students for safety reasons. There is no reason why your teen should be anxious about visiting the physician.
If a school or sports team requests physicals in order for participation,
your teen may be understandably anxious. Being poked and prodded by a stranger in the midst of puberty is not the ideal way to spend an afternoon. While you may not be able to put a positive spin on stripping down for the doc, there are several ways you can assuage your teen's fear.
1. You don't have to be present.
For some teens, it isn't the doctor that is frightening but the idea of having to expose their growing bodies to a parent or guardian. In order to respect their privacy, you can remain in the waiting room during the examination. Having this privacy may also prompt teens to speak more freely with their physician, posing important questions that they may otherwise not feel comfortable asking. Some doctors will not examine an adolescent patient without the presence of another witness, due to legal reasons. In these cases, you can request the presence of a nurse (may young girls prefer to have at least one female preset) rather than a guardian.
2. It doesn't take that long.
The longest part about physicals is sitting in the waiting room. A fairly healthy teen can get through the exam in less than forty-five minutes, and most of it is taking measurements such as height, weight, blood pressure, vision, hearing, and body mass index. The hands-on portion, which is what makes people anxious, lasts just a few minutes. The doctor will inspect the entire body, head to toe, and gently feel the thyroid, lymph nodes, and areas surrounding major organs such as the liver and kidneys.
3. It isn't a pap smear.
Some young women are terrified by the thought of undergoing a pap smear. Most physicals, however, will not include one unless you make a specific request. It is recommended that women receive their first pelvic examination within the first few years following sexual activity or by the age of 21, whichever comes first. While it is important to discuss with your teen if this is necessary, those who have not participated in sexual activities will be much relieved to skip this part.
4. There are no needles.
Is your son or daughter petrified of needles? Not all doctors will perform a blood test and by this age most teens have received all required immunizations. Although you shouldn't guarantee that they will glide through the exam unscathed by the syringe, the majority won't need to unless there is a previous medical condition that requires monitoring of the doctor suspects there may be cause for concern.
5. The doctors have seen it all.
Teens initially might feel embarrassed by their physical differences. Doctors, however, perform thousands of physicals throughout their careers, and one naked body is the same as the next. They're professionals and won't gasp in horror or laugh, and odds are that the majority of healthy young adolescents will fly through the exam without any cause for concern.
