How Old Is Too Old For The Pediatrician

I grew up on a lake in a small town where the doctor did everything.

I went to a pediatrician until I was 13 or 14. Then my parents switched me to a family doctor. The pediatrician made house calls. The family doctor did not. The other difference is that when I got ear infections or throat infections, the pediatrician always gave penicillin shots in the butt. Sometimes 1 shot and sometimes 2, 1 at the first visit and another shot 3 days later. The family Doctor prescribed antibiotic pills for ear and throat infections. I liked going to the family doctor better because at that time I hated shots and I hated having to bear my butt for the shot to see. The shots vs. pills was the main difference between the two doctors. This was back in the 50's and early 60's when doctors had one office, one exam room, and one small waiting room. I remember the first time I went to a third doctor, also a family doctor, but I was driving and the new doctor was closer to home and just more convenient. It was this time that I was exposed to the new model for doctoring. Doctor has many exam rooms. He has nurses and other assistants who help. So you arrive and do the preliminary paperwork at the front desk, then you sit and wait. Then a nurse or nursing assistant calls our name and takes you back to a exam room. She probably stops and weighs you on the walk to the exam room. Once in the exam room, she does temperature, blood pressure, and asks why you are here, what is wrong. So you tell the nurse all the problems and then she leaves and says the doctor will be in soon. So then many minutes later a doctor walks into the room and asks what is wrong, why are you here today. YOu tell him or her the same thing you told the nurse and they he starts the exam. He decides what is wrong, and then prescribes the course of treatment. If a test is needed, he referrs you to a testing center. If shots are needed, his nurse comes back to the exam room and gives the shots. All this is different from the model of my first two doctors who basically did everything. I clearly remember the first two doctors gave the shots themselves. The nurse did not give shots. I think this new system of doctors having multiple exam rooms is what causes long waiting to see the doctor. But actually this is a little off subject but it is what happens when you get an appointment with a doctor.

I had my college physical at age 18. I though it might be the right time to move on to a family practitioner or an Internal Medicine specialist. My pediatrician stated he should continue my care until I finish college due to a minor cardiac issue.

I would think this question also depends on your area. In my region, there are no family doctors accepting patients … the clinics are where you see someone (and it could change every time you go), but you don't have a set doctor. Any new doctors that come into the area are full of patients almost instantly. So I would say, stay as long as you can unless you know you can get a doctor.

I never went to a pediatrician but I think 18 would be a good time to transition. If you are old enough to serve, you are old enough for a family doc.

It depends on the pediatrician. If they have additional training and an office set up for adolescent medicine, and know how to treat older teens, I'd think you can go to them until your early 20s.

But the way my pediatrician was, where even older teens were treated like small children, I'm glad 16 was the last year I had to see him. I can't imagine going to him until I finished my undergrad degree at 21. The waiting room was laser focused on little kids, the exam room had nursery rhyme cartoon wallpaper, and getting height and weight required walking from the exam room to the scale down the hall wearing only underwear. He also didn't have any part of the exam where a parent wasn't in the room, so if I had needed to ask any sensitive questions, I'd have to do it in front of my mom. With that setup, I'm glad my mom switched me from that pediatrician to a family medicine doctor when I was 17.

I always thought 18 was when one aged out of going to a pediatrician.

I never went to a pediatrician. Our doctor was in general practice. She took care of all ages. Mind you this was over 50 years ago. Specialist were not as common back then in our small town.

The doctor who delivered me, my siblings, my cousins, was a GP and served as my “pediatrician”, pierced my ears, and gave me my first half ass gyn exam.

He also made house calls, even in the 80s when my mother was dying, and came to our weddings. I think I stopped going to see him when he semi-retired and I went strictly to a ob/gyn.

As MissStress stated doctors were different then.

I saw my pediatrician for the last time for a physical when I was 19. Fire trucks on the wall paper and all. Had me strip to my underwear, still asked me to lift my bottom up so he could slip my boxers down. Did the hernia exam laying and standing and still got a rectal. Only diff was no parents present.

I saw my pediatrician for the last time for a physical when I was 19. Fire trucks on the wall paper and all. Had me strip to my underwear, still asked me to lift my bottom up so he could slip my boxers down. Did the hernia exam laying and standing and still got a rectal. Only diff was no parents present.

@DrColin How old at the last exam with parents present, and which parent?

I went with my parents to the paediatrician until I was 13/14. Each time, he made a complete visit with weighing and height measurement. The examination took place in pants and at the end of the examination he took the pants down to check the genitals and the evolution of puberty. He would comment on the examination and the whole examination live for my parents to see.

Then it was at the family doctor's and accompanied by my parents until I was 15/16.

@spbb My mom was in my physical when I was 16. That was the last time.

I still go to mine but I have many health conditions so it's easier for me to stay with them even though I'm now grown.

I stopped going regularly after 5th grade.

If you ask me that's a bit risky as anything could happen between adolescence and adulthood. What if something isn't caught? Obviously I don't go every year now but I'd hope people are more cautious about their kids.

I just turned 20 and still see a pediatrician. It has it's up and down sides as 2, 12 or 20 the same processes are followed. He and his staff are great but, it's more a matter of convenience that all of we 3 siblings see the same provider and it's easier just to have a single source for everyone / everything. I see nothing wrong with someone seeing a pediatrician as long as they wish to. Nothing stops you from seeing any (other) “specialist” as may be needed.

I just turned 20 and still see a pediatrician. It has it's up and down sides as 2, 12 or 20 the same processes are followed. He and his staff are great but, it's more a matter of convenience that all of we 3 siblings see the same provider and it's easier just to have a single source for everyone / everything. I see nothing wrong with someone seeing a pediatrician as long as they wish to. Nothing stops you from seeing any (other) “specialist” as may be needed.

A lot of pediatricians see their patients up to about age 21. I think that is pretty cool.

In our clinic, I see patients older than 18 only.

Some of my family medicine trained colleagues see both kids and adults. They continue to follow them.

I know some specialty clinics with heart/lung conditions continue to see them through their adult age too. But they establish with regular primary care for their regular care.

I agree with others that it depends…. fire trucks and treated like a baby, cya; understanding needs change as we age- 20s

I went to the pediatrician--a close family friend--until the age of around 13-14. At that point he and his family moved to Israel, so we switched to another close friend, who was technically a family doctor. Still, I remember seeing in the new office two flasks of thermometers, alternately labeled “Oral” and “Rectal.” I had never seen anything like that in my pediatrician's office. How I wish the nurse at my new doctor's would have found some reason to take my temperature rectally during those teen years! (Of course, at the time I would have been absolutely mortified.)

I saw my pediatrician up until I was 18, when I had to see a gynecologist before going to college.

I went to my pediatrician until i was 16; by law it cannot be extended further in my country.

I went to a multi-doctor pediatric office until 18 when I went away to college. The practice had added a female doctor which I liked very much. It was a rude awakening to visit the student health center in college where I underwent my first pelvic with a male doctor, and observed (with my permission) by two male ob/gyn residents who didn't seem to be much older than I.

It used to be when you graduated high school (usually 17 or 1😎. Now you see the age go up to 21, which is a good idea.

I saw my pediatrician until I turned 20 because I was no longer embarrassed in front of her but was able to move out of the dormitory and live off campus year round after 2 years. I did go to student health at times before that due to the distance and then for the last 2 years of college.

@ pecan nutjob

In France, it is way easier to get appointments at a general practitioner than at a pediatrician. Thus, if you have a sick kid, the fast approach is to go to a GP.

Here in Belgium, we never took our sons to a pediatrician. From as soon as the first was our foster child, he went to our regular family doctor/general practitioner. I cannot recall any instance where he was taken to a pediatrician.

In my case my parents took me to the GP when I was 14. Lil mistake from our side because at that point of time my puberty didn't develop well. The GP was unable to cope with my situation so he sent me back to my pediatrician for doing the further treatment (lots of injections until Iwas 17). Back to him he also told us that is was too early for me to switch. Quite situation with my brother, his change at his age of 14 was unproblematic. I could follow my brother when I was 17. Meanwhile our parents have to drive us to two different outpatient clinics what indeed was a logistical challenge.

Quite situation with my brother, his change at his age of 14 was unproblematic. I could follow my brother when I was 17. Meanwhile our parents have to drive us to two different outpatient clinics what indeed was a logistical challenge.

Same situation here, but my slow puberty aligned with my 2.5 years younger brother's normal puberty (and if I had been any slower, they would have started the treatments). After my pediatrician and my mom finally got to see me get to Stage IV at 16, both my brother and I got to start going to a GP when I was 17, and he was 14.

It’s up to each person I think.

I liked my pediatrician and saw him through age 18. Same exam every year. Though I fully trusted him, the experience was always one of anxiety, embarrassment, and also excitement.

As I’ve said before, my sexual awakening happened in that man’s exam room.

Never to old, lol. Joking. But I liked seeing a pediatrician. I liked how later in life when I wasn't a child anymore he still talked to me like a child. Why do they do that? I was disappointed when I had to switch. I must have been somewhere in my teens when I switched from a pediatrician to a regular physician.

My pediatrician treated me until I graduated college at age 22. She had specialized training in adolescent and young adult medicine. When I finished college I knew it was time to move on. We developed an excellent/patient relationship over the years and I trust her judgement without question. She helped me to overcome some real childhood challenges.