Visit our foundation to give a gift.
 View Locations Near Me
Main Campus – Hartford
Connecticut Children’s – Waterbury
Urgent Care – Farmington
Specialty Care Center – Danbury
Connecticut Children’s Surgery Center at FarmingtonÂ
Specialty Care Center – Fairfield
Search All LocationsÂ
Find a doctorÂ
Contact Us Â
Search SpecialtiesÂ
Find A DoctorÂ
Request an Appointment
Locations
Amenities and Services
Who’s Who on Care Team
Getting Ready for Surgery
What to Expect—Picture Stories
Disney Initiative
Pay a Bill
Understanding the Different Fees
Pricing Transparency and Estimates
Child Life
Raytheon Technologies Family Resource Center
Family Advisory Council
Transition Programs
Advocacy
Legal Advocacy: Benefits, Education, Housing
Electronic Health Records
MyChart
Share Your Story
Pay a BillÂ
Login to MyChartÂ
Specialty Referrals
Clinical Support Services Referrals
Inpatient Referrals
ED/Transport Referrals
About the Network
Join the Network
Graduate Medical Education
Continuing Medical Education
MOC/Practice Quality Improvement
Educating Practices in the Community (EPIC)
For Nurses
Learning & Performance
Research
Resources
CLASP/Referral Guidelines
Meet our Physician Relations Team
Request Medical Records
Join our Referring Provider Advisory Board
View our Physician Callback Standards
Read & Subscribe to Medical NewsÂ
Register for Email Updates
Update Your Practice Information
Refer a Patient Â
Contact OneCall Â
Find and Print Health Info Â
Health Information For Parents
Your doctor and/or nurse will probably:
1. Check your teen’s weight and height, calculate body mass index (BMI), and plot the measurements on growth charts.
2. Check your teen’s blood pressure and possibly hearing.
3. Give a screening test to check for signs of depression.
4. Ask questions, address concerns, and offer advice about your teen’s:
Eating. Tens should begin making healthy food choices on their own. Explain that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and avoiding sweet, salty, and fatty foods not only is better nutritionally but will support a healthy weight. Calcium and iron are important for the growth spurts of adolescence. Aim for three daily servings of low-fat dairy products (or dairy alternatives) to provide 1,300 milligrams of calcium. Include enough lean meats, poultry, and seafood in the diet to reach 8 milligrams of iron per day.
Sleeping. Teens need about 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night. Poor sleep is common and can hurt grades and athletic performance. Biological changes make teens want to stay up later, but early school start times can make it hard for them to get enough sleep. Encourage your child to follow a relaxing bedtime routine, and keep TVs and all digital devices out of your teen’s bedroom.
Physical activity. Aim for 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Set daily limits on screen time, including TV, DVDs, video games, smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Growth and development. By age 13, it’s common for teens to:
5. Do a physical exam. This will include looking at the skin, listening to the heart and lungs, checking the back for any curvature of the spine, and looking for puberty development. A parent, caregiver, or chaperone should be present during this part of the exam, but siblings should remain outside in the waiting room to give your teen privacy.
6. Update immunizations. Immunizations can protect people from serious illnesses, so it’s important that your teen get them on time. Immunization schedules can vary from office to office, so talk to your doctor about what to expect.
7. Order tests. Your doctor may check your teen’s risk for anemia, high cholesterol, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and order tests, if needed.
Here are some things to keep in mind until your teen’s next checkup at 14 years:
These checkup sheets are consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)/Bright Futures guidelines.
These age-specific guides can help you be prepared for and keep track of your well-child visits.
Whether bullying is physical or verbal, if it’s not stopped it can lead to more aggressive antisocial behavior – and interfere with a child’s success in school and ability to form and sustain friendships.
Just as professional sports stars need medical care to keep them playing their best, so do student athletes. That’s why it’s important to make sure that kids and teens get a sports physical.
With cliques prevalent in middle and high school, most kids encounter them at some point. Here’s how parents can help kids maintain confidence and self-respect while negotiating cliques.
Participation in sports can teach kids sportsmanship and discipline. But sports also carry the potential for injury. Here’s how to protect your kids.
Kids who enjoy exercise tend to stay active throughout their lives. Learn how to encourage fitness in your teen.
Regular visits help your teen’s doctor keep track of changes in physical, mental, and social development. The doctor can also help your teen understand the importance of choosing a healthy lifestyle.
It’s normal for children to feel afraid at times. Parents can help kids feel safe and learn to feel at ease.
You’ve lived through 2 AM feedings, toddler temper tantrums, and the back-to-school blues. So why is the word “teenager” causing you so much anxiety?
All kids need to eat balanced meals and have a healthy diet. But should that balance change for kids who play on a sports team or work out?
Find out what the experts have to say.
You know the importance of exercising and eating nutritious foods, but do you know how to raise a healthy and active child? Get practical advice and tips.
It’s natural for parents to be a bit anxious when first leaving kids without supervision. But you can feel prepared and confident with some planning and a couple of trial runs.
Vaccines help keep kids healthy, but many parents still have questions about them. Get answers here.