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Adolescent Care

Smita Tandon, MD Our Services Adolescent Care

Smita Tandon, MD

Pediatrician located in Fountain Valley, CA

Supporting your teen through a time of rapid physical, emotional, and social change. We follow AAP guidelines to offer preventive care, mental health screenings, and routine sports physicals. To foster healthy independence, our practice utilizes a confidential split-visit model, helping young adults up to age 21 build the confidence and self-advocacy skills they need for the future.

Comprehensive Adolescent Care

Adolescence is a time of incredible physical, emotional, and social transformation. At Dr2Kids Medical Group in Fountain Valley, Dr. Smita Tandon and her dedicated team provide specialized, evidence-based care tailored to the unique health, privacy, and developmental needs of pre-teens and teenagers (ages 11 to 21).

Our approach aligns with the trusted guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) to help your teen transition smoothly, safely, and healthily into young adulthood.

Core Adolescent Health Services We Offer We provide a comprehensive medical home for your teenager, offering routine preventive care, lifestyle guidance, and support for acute medical needs:

  • Adolescent Well-Care Visits: Comprehensive annual physicals that monitor healthy growth, physical development, and vital signs.
  • Sports, School, and Camp Physicals: Full physical evaluations and safety screenings required for athletic participation and school compliance.
  • Immunization Updates: Routine adolescent vaccines administered in accordance with the CDC and ACIP schedules (including Tdap, Meningococcal, and HPV).
  • Mental Wellness Screenings: Compassionate, validated screenings for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and academic or social stress.
  • Nutritional & Lifestyle Guidance: Specialized support addressing teenage nutrition, sports performance, sleep hygiene, and managing screen time or social media habits.
  • Acne & Skin Care: Medical management of adolescent acne, eczema, and common skin concerns using customized treatment plans.

Navigating Privacy and Confidentiality: The Split-Visit Model

To support your teen’s growing independence while respecting California healthcare guidelines, our practice utilizes a split-visit model for routine check-ups starting around age 11 or 12:

  1. The Joint Assessment: The visit begins with the teen and parent/guardian together to review family medical history, health changes, and overarching goals.
  2. The Private Consultation: Dr. Tandon spends a portion of the visit speaking one-on-one with your teen. This private time provides a safe, comfortable, and non-judgmental space for teens to discuss sensitive topics, emotional wellness, peer relationships, and identity development.
  3. The Parent Wrap-Up: Dr. Tandon re-convenes with the parent to discuss the overarching care plan, upcoming laboratory orders, and immunizations.

A Note on Confidentiality & Safety: Trust is essential for adolescent healthcare, and private conversations between the doctor and teen are protected. However, safety always comes first. Confidentiality is immediately broken, and parents are notified, if a teen discloses an immediate threat of harm to themselves, harm to others, or any form of abuse.

Preparing Your Teen for Healthy Independence

Our clinical goal is to empower adolescents to become active, confident managers of their own health. We warmly encourage teens to learn their own medical history, track their symptoms, and ask Dr. Tandon questions directly during their exams. This intentional practice builds the essential self-advocacy skills they will need to navigate the adult healthcare system in the future.

Ready to partner with us for your teen's health journey?