<p>D1 and S2 switched to a “family medicine” doctor at 18. In hindsight I should have done it sooner because the pediatrician completely missed the boat on my daughter’s back and repeatedly told her it was nothing, whereas the physician’s assistant at the family practice office was quite alarmed the first time she saw her and immediately sent her for X-rays and a referral to an orthopedic. And it ended up being quite serious. I switched S3 over at 15 when I switched S2.</p>
<p>My Ds stayed with the same pediatrician through most of their college years. He usually tells college kids to find a new doc when they reach 20 or 21. One D traveled to Mexico for a competition and had some weird intestinal problem and came home to see our pediatrician, who get her in to see an infectious disease guy. Younger D was employed at a summer camp–first as camp counselor and then as a trainer for counselors–she had to get physicals every year before camp. She went to the pediatrician for those. They both used the college health service if they needed medical attention.</p>
<p>So far, my D in college still goes to her pediatrician–but it has been for shots and physicals. I think that she did have one emergency–strep throat when she just arrived from school. She did go to the pediatrician.</p>
<p>S1 saw a pediatrician for his first year. Then we moved and we all saw a family doctor. S2 was delivered by a family doctor and has never seen a pediatrician.</p>
<p>S1 started grumbling around age 15 that he didn’t like the “babyish” waiting room, etc at the pediatrician. We switched him to a family practice doctor when he was about 16 or 17. Also, the pediatric practice was a small group (3 MDs) and all were female, which I also think was a bit of an issue for him as an adolescent boy. S2 still goes to the same ped practice, but I’m guessing that we’ll be switching him at some point soon too. Kind of makes me a little sad! :)</p>
<p>My siblings and I stopped seeing the pediatrician around age 10, give or take a year. </p>
<p>Perhaps this is how my vaccinations got so out of whack. I had no idea it was normal to go on into your teens. I can’t even remember who my pediatrician was anymore it’s been so long.</p>
<p>ETA: Though now that I think about it, I am still seeing my pediatric neurologist from time to time, who I started seeing when I was 12. I am almost 22 now. I keep expecting her to tell me I need to switch over, but she’s been fascinated by my case and hasn’t given me up yet. lol I like her so I’d probably keep seeing her as long as she’ll let me. She isn’t in a strictly pediatric office so the switch will just be to a different doc in the building when the time comes.</p>