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Adolescent Medicine

Adolescent Medicine is the care of people in and around their teen years, from about ages 9 to 21 years. Children's Hospital is a leader in adolescent medicine. Our team is expert in attending to the physical, emotional and social needs of people from puberty though young adulthood.

We provide consultation, diagnosis and treatment for health issues that commonly come up during these years. Our team specializes in caring for young people with long-lasting conditions, such as eating disorders, obesity and chronic pain. We have clinics dedicated to adolescent gynecology, eating disorders, substance use treatment and behavioral issues. Our Biofeedback program teaches teens to better manage conditions such as headaches and Raynaud's phenomenon. Our Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy program was the first in the nation to consistently relieve patients' pain without the use of medicines.

Our Adolescent Medicine team includes doctors, nurses, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, and social workers who have training and experience in working with teens. We also work closely with experts from throughout Children's clinics, including Occupational and Physical Therapy, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Nutrition, to tailor treatment to your child's unique needs.

Meet the Adolescent Medicine care team.

Conditions we treat

In addition to our subspecialty clinics in adolescent gynecology, eating disorders, biofeedback, substance use treatment and behavioral issues, we offer care for young people with health concerns that include:

• Unexplained chronic pain

  When the cause of pain is unclear, dealing with it can be especially difficult. We provide treatment and support for young people with long-lasting and painful conditions, including headaches, musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.

• Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy (RND) (PDF)

  RND causes intense pain around muscles, bones and joints. The pain has no structural cause, such as a broken arm or a sprained ankle. Many factors may play a role in causing it. One key factor may be a problem with the nervous system, which causes blood vessels to become narrower than usual. Our RND program focuses on helping your child overcome pain with physical exercise and medical and psychological support. The program helps 90% of our patients become free of pain. It is one of only two such programs in the United States.

• Delayed puberty, body image concerns and sexual health

  As boys and girls mature physically and sexually, they may develop health concerns. Our team includes experts in caring for young people with problems including delayed puberty, body image concerns and sexual health.

• Chronic illnesses

  Coping with a long-lasting illness is hard for anyone. When your child is going through puberty and dealing with growing up, it can be especially challenging. Our team provides consultations for young people with a variety of problems related to long-term illness, including help with sticking to treatment plans and dealing with the mental and social stresses of chronic illness.

Subspecialties we offer

• Adolescent Gynecology
• Eating Disorders
• Biofeedback
• Adolescent Substance Abuse
• Behavioral Program

Seattle Children's provides health care for the special needs of children regardless of race, sex, creed, ethnicity or disability. Financial assistance for medically necessary services is based on family income and hospital resources and is provided to children under age 21 whose primary residence is Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.