TIPS FOR PARENTS
Help Your Student Prepare for this Transition :
1 . Remind them to bring their insurance card , form of ID , and co-pay .
2 . Before your child leaves for college , have your student practice talking about their symptoms and talking to the doctor before you start to explain for them . Have your child talk first and get them used to explaining and talking to doctors , nurses , and medical staff . After they have answered the doctor ’ s questions on their own , you can help add in the medical history if they need assistance .
3 . Talk through their immediate family medical history and make sure they know what current medications they are taking and any previous diagnoses . You want your child to be comfortable explaining their health history and current symptoms to the doctor . A lot of diagnoses begin with the patient ’ s history .
4 . Watch out for who is covered under your insurance network and make sure your student has found a doctor in the network — especially out of state .
TIPS FOR STUDENTS
Prepare for this Transition :
1 . Practice setting your own appointments before you go off to college . When making your first appointment , make sure you are prepared with your insurance and personal information in hand when you call , as the doctor ’ s office will need it to set the appointment .
2 . Get your parents ’ help with deciding where you should go to the doctor based on location , quality , etc . After you ’ ve picked a location , make sure you call and set your own appointment .
3 . If you are away from home and get sick : You can always call your previous or current primary care doctor , and they can advise you on where to go — urgent care , call a telehealth specialist , or if it ’ s more serious and requires immediate medical attention .
ADVICE FOR STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
For students with chronic conditions , transitioning to an adult doctor may not be your best option . If you have any chronic conditions such as cerebral palsy or are under a specialty doctor , there is a team of doctors called MedPeds doctors that see both kids and adults . These doctors are a great option for chronic condition patients because they know what to worry about for both adults and kids so the student doesn ’ t have to transition .
The specifics for these doctors vary . Some MedPeds doctors have their own practice and some are at a regular family practice setting . Some specialize in internal medicine or special conditions . Do some research to find a MedPeds doctor in your area . If there are none , Dr . Soong recommends that you seek out an internal medicine doctor rather than a generic family doctor .
NOTE : The basic cold symptoms don ’ t require a call to your pediatrician but something more complicated might .
www . potentialmagazine . com Winter 2022 | 17