When treating young patients rather than adults and older patients, there are some key differences. From the level of care offered to how treatments are approached, nurses and other medical personnel must know how to approach the care of younger patients.
Younger patients are still physically and emotionally developing
Physical development lasts a long time in humans. Medical providers of younger patients must pay close attention to their young patients’ development and growth. In adult patients, this is not necessary. On an emotional level, younger patients have a lot to learn. They do not have the life experience or knowledge to make some decisions or process information that may be upsetting. Medical providers need to be sensitive to the needs of younger patients and be sure not to hesitate to have major parental involvement even if some aspects of their healthcare may not require it.
For young patients like teenage girls visiting a doctor’s office, having a caring and experienced gynecologist in Jamaica, NY, can make a significant difference in their comfort and overall experience.
Older patients may have learned to live with a condition or disorder
Autism is a perfect example of a health condition that varies a lot in how much it affects a younger person. Over time, many mildly to moderately autistic people learn to overcome many of the challenges they face. When an autistic patient is younger, treating them may require more care. More often than not, a parent or guardian is heavily involved and always present even if the younger patient is a teen.
Parental consent is required for treatment in those under 18
In most cases, a parent or legal guardian must sign paperwork authorizing medical personnel to diagnose and treat anyone that is not legally an adult. In North America, this age is 18. The signed documents also designate the parent or guardian as legally responsible for any medical bills that are not covered by insurance or other health programs.
There are exceptions to this rule. Examples of this are a legally emancipated minor or an adult over the age of 18 that is incapable of making their own decisions. If a minor is declared an adult in court, they can sign for themselves. An older adult with dementia, for example, may have an adult child or other loved one assigned or designated by them as their healthcare power of attorney, thus authorizing them to make some or all of the medical decisions for them. If there are no relatives to do this, someone at a care facility may be assigned.
Young patients may be harder to treat due to fear and resistance
While adults may ask many questions or be somewhat reluctant for some treatments, they are not going to offer the same type or level of resistance that a child might.
Giving a vaccination to a younger patient, inserting an IV or drawing blood may make the child try to run away, fight, cry, etc. Having a parent or other prominent adult present is necessary to calm the child down as much as possible and prevent them from fleeing or worse.
Crying happens often, but it is resolved more quickly when someone is there to offer comfort and reassurance. Some doctor’s offices have rewards available afterward to help bring a smile back to a younger patient’s face. Fun band-aids are commonly applied after vaccination, as well.
Some medical staff work with younger patients more than others
At some private practices, it may be more common for nurses to work with younger patients. Family doctors see a lot of younger patients. Many nurses are choosing to earn an FNP online degree from Baylor University so they can advance their careers and start to see a wider variety of patients. A family nurse practitioner has many of the same roles as a regular medical doctor, from diagnosing patients to prescribing treatments and medications. An FNP is often used when conditions are mild to moderate in nature. For example, an FNP would see a patient for a suspected urinary tract infection, cold or flu-like virus, etc.
Some FNPs may decide to specialize in pediatric medicine as well, thus limiting their patients to only those under 18.
Communication is important, regardless of age, but the topics will vary a lot
When treating adults, there may be less chatting about topics unrelated to medical care. With younger patients, asking them about hobbies, school, etc., may be more of a priority to put them at ease.
Younger patients are more likely to engage with doctors if they get to talk about something that interests them. This is especially true because many doctor’s visits involving younger patients are for routine care, checkups or minor health concerns, such as colds or seasonal allergies.
The older the adult, the more likely the visitor is about a chronic condition or more serious health concern. While there may be some casual chatting, appointment times are used more judiciously.
Younger patients may receive more preventative care and routine checkups
Specifically, young patients may need to visit a doctor more often for routine care, like vaccinations and physicals than older patients. This is particularly true of very young patients. Pediatricians recommend visits every 30-90 days for the first 18 months of life. With adults, a yearly visit is often all that is recommended. As we age, there may be a few other tests and health screenings that add a few extra preventative care visits.
Conclusion
Treating younger patients involves trying to create a bond that they understand. Making a younger patient more comfortable is different than that of an older patient. While both younger and older patients may have some level of distrust or fear regarding some treatments and routine preventative medicine, younger patients are more likely to act out and try to avoid receiving treatment while at their doctor’s office. Minors are also not allowed to make most of their own medical decisions, so there is usually third-party involvement at visits via a parent or legal guardian.