How to guide teens toward health independence

It may not be top of mind, but one of the milestones that comes with turning 18 is the responsibility of managing your health.

While it may seem daunting, there are things parents and children can do now to support a smooth transition.

Start early

When children are young, encourage them to speak for themselves during medical appointments. Discuss potential health questions and topics of conversation before heading to the doctor’s office.

Encourage independence

As your teen approaches young adulthood, practice age-appropriate independence to make and attend appointments, access electronic health records and manage prescriptions.

Discuss health care costs

Make sure your children understand common terms like copays, deductibles and co-insurance. There are often out-of-pocket costs associated with prescriptions, testing and procedures. You may also want to talk about health care costs depending on where you get care. The cost of going to a doctor’s office, urgent care and the emergency department vary greatly. Education on where to seek appropriate care based on the type of health concern is important.

Discuss and plan insurance coverage

Under the Affordable Care Act, most children can remain on a parent’s health insurance until age 26. This includes children who have moved out of their parent’s home, attend school, are married, have children of their own or have the option of getting insurance through their employer.

Consider a health care proxy or living will, and discuss health histories

Depending on the health needs of your adult child and state laws where they live, you could consider getting a health care proxy or living will. In an emergency where you can’t make decisions about your medical care, a living will allows someone you designate to do it for you. A living will outlines your wishes regarding end-of-life care, pain management and the use of life support.

As young adults transition to more independence, it’s imperative that they understand their personal and family medical histories. Keeping records is the core of this – whether digital or paper, make sure to have easy access to your diagnoses, surgeries and the significant conditions that run in your family. And especially for those young adults that are moving away, talk with your current medical team about a Release of Information Form. This allows for specific teams to communicate and share records with your permission. These steps will form excellent habits in the future, as additional moves and new medical teams will all follow similar steps in understanding your history and needs.

Find a healthy balance in relationships

Work to maintain an overall healthy adult child/parent relationship. Children strive for independence, but maintaining a functioning, adult relationship can provide a number of benefits to both parties.

Parents need to be willing to quickly adjust to seeing and treating your child as an adult, one who can and will make the decisions that they feel are best, regardless of your input. Advice might not always be welcome, but still being present is always reasonable. Balance is hard to strike on both sides, but this can ultimately occur with time and solid communication based in mutual respect and trust.