Helping Adolescents Navigate the Difficult Years

Let’s face it – being a teenager is hard. Puberty is hard. Throw in some medical or behavioral issues, and it is even harder.

Most parents and grandparents would agree that things are much tougher for today’s teens that it ever was for us. With social media, social and academic pressure, social drug use, sex, smoking, e-cigarettes and more knocking on the doors of today’s youth, it’s harder than ever before.

But that’s where the William A. Daniel Jr. Adolescent Health Center at Children’s of Alabama comes in, says Dr. Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Division Director, UAB Adolescent Medicine; vice chair, pediatrics for community engagement. Coyne-Beasley has been part of the clinic for seven months, but the clinic has been around for many years, a progression of adolescent medicine for the last 50 or so years, she says.

The past president of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine says today’s adolescent’s face many challenges between childhood and adulthood – social, academic and health pressures. Even the consequences of some behaviors can be life threatening. That’s why a clinic where the parent can know their child’s overall medical, social and psychiatric health can be addressed and treated is so important. Whether it’s preventative, or treatment, the Adolescent Clinic at Children’s can help.

There are several specialty clinics that are part of the Adolescent Health Center at Children’s of Alabama.

Adolescent Clinic

This clinic specializes in generalized primary care and subspecialty consultation for children ages 11-21. It sees children for well visits, Coyne-Beasley explains, as well as for vaccines, sports physicals, sexual-reproductive health, acne management, prevention and management of STDs, and even evaluation and consultations for complex or unexplained medical problems.

LEAH Clinic

The LEAH Clinic is one of seven such clinics in the nation who have the LEAH grant – Leadership, Education and Adolescent Health, to provide the evaluation and treatment of adolescent and young adults ages 11-21 with complex medical-psychosocial needs, Coyne-Beasley says. The patient here will see a team of medical professions such as doctors, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, social workers and psychologists who work together to diagnose and treat many issues.

LARC Clinic

LARC stands for long-acting reversible contraceptive. This clinic specializes in long-acting reversible contraceptive options to adolescents, such as implantable birth control for young females.

Eating Disorder Clinic

This clinic addresses the obvious and well-known eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, as well as other types of eating disorders. Patients work closely with a psychotherapist to provide a comprehensive team approach for treatment. The clinic also provides diagnostic consultations for patients with unexplained weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain and more.

Adolescent Nutrition Clinic

This clinic specializes in nutritional counseling, as well as adolescents who wish to lose and gain weight. It also looks at other issues such as anemia and cholesterol. Adolescents here are also seen for sports nutrition and healthy eating. This clinic requires referral from a physician or nurse practitioner.

ADHD Clinic

This clinic is dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Since there are many misconceptions among the general population about these disorders, a clinic like this is important for learning about the problems as well. Staff includes an adolescent medicine specialist along with graduate-level psychology and social work clinicians to help families and patients with their goals, Coyne-Beasley says.

Menstrual Disorder Clinic

This clinic helps young females with a variety of menstrual concerns including painful menstrual cycles, cycles that are too heavy, that come too often or are too frequent. Other problems, such as having a period at an early age or unexplained pain are addressed here. This clinic has physicians that work closely with pediatric gynecology, hematology, endocrinology and nutrition, Coyne-Beasley explains.

This summer, the Adolescent Health Center is expanding, Coyne-Beasley adds, doubling its size and minimizing the wait time. In addition, they are adding a parking deck to handle the patient load.

Many of these clinics do not require a referral, but some do. To find out, call for an appointment at 205-638-9231, or visit http://adolescent.childrensal.org.   The clinic is located at the corner of 17^th Street and Fifth Avenue South in Birmingham.

Providers include Dr. Coyne-Beasley, Nefertiti Durant, MD, MPH, director, physician; Stephenie Wallace, MD, MSPH, associate director, physician; Tina Simpson, MD, MPH, physician; Krista Casazza Ph.D., RD, CSSD, director of clinical nutrition; Erin Boyd, MD, MSPH, physician, and Samantha Hill, MD, physician.

Carol Muse Evans is publisher of Birmingham Parent.