What health checks does my teenager need?

Staying on top of your teenager’s health can make a big difference for their long-term wellbeing. As they navigate these transformative years, health checks can support healthy habits, ease worries, and give them the tools to thrive as they grow into adulthood.

Your doctor can guide your teen through emotional and physical changes, provide reassurance about what’s ‘normal,’ and support them with regular check-ups and vaccinations.

We want to make it easy for you to proactively look after the health of your teenagers. So, here’s a checklist of what to talk to your doctor about at your teen’s next check up:

• Mental wellbeing
• Sexual & reproductive health
• Skin conditions
• General health
• HEEADSSS assessment

Is your teen up to date with these regular health checks?

• A dental check-up
• A hearing check-up
• An eye check-up

Why are these health checks important during adolescence?

Mental Wellbeing – Everyone has tough times, but teenage and younger adult years can bring some extra challenges, like anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Discussing mental wellbeing with your doctor can help your teenager open up, feel cared for, receive more serious clinical support, and give them tools and strategies to build resilience.

Sexual and reproductive health – If your teen is sexually active, regular health checks provide a safe and supportive space to ask questions with a trusted medical practitioner. They can give guidance on family planning, contraception, sexual health screening, the menstrual cycle, and other necessary checks. These conversations not only support their health now, but also set them up with the knowledge and confidence to make informed choices as they grow older.

Skin conditions – Skin checks are especially important during adolescence, as this is when many common skin conditions like acne, eczema, or even early signs of sun damage, often appear. Talking with a medical practitioner can help teens understand common skin conditions, how often they should have a check-up, and what preventative steps may help. These checks also provide a chance to discuss safe sun habits to reduce the risk of skin cancer later in life.

Dental check-up – Adolescence is a time when permanent teeth are settling, wisdom teeth may start to appear, and oral hygiene habits are becoming lifelong routines. A dental practitioner can check your teenager’s oral health and risk of future issues, while also providing guidance on brushing, flossing and diet.

The general rule of thumb is to have a dental check-up every six months, but this may differ depending on your teenager’s oral health and circumstances.

Hearing check-up – Exposure to loud music, headphones, and noisy environments can affect many teenagers’ hearing. Regular check-ups with a medical or hearing practitioner can detect any changes early, identify issues like ear infections or hearing loss, and provide guidance on protecting hearing.

Eye check-up – Some teenagers may start needing prescription eyewear as this is a prime time for the development of near-sightedness, or myopia. It’s important to encourage teens to get into the habit of regular eye check-ups as uncorrected vision problems can affect all aspects of their lives. An optometrist can check for vision problems, screen for eye conditions, and provide guidance on treatments, glasses or contact lenses if needed.

You should get an eye check-up every two years, but this can vary depending on general health and family history.

General health – It’s common for adolescents to start experimenting with alcohol, cannabis or other drugs during these formative years. Medical practitioners can discuss your teen’s alcohol consumption, smoking/vaping, drug usage and general wellbeing like weight and sleep habits. Adolescence is a time when lifelong habits start to form, making general health check-ups especially valuable.

HEEADSSS assessment – HEEADSSS, which stands for Home, Education, Employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs and Alcohol, Sexuality, Suicide and Depression, Safety, allows for early identification of mental health, alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues, as well as other information to assist young people in this stage of their life. It’s designed to give medical practitioners a full picture of the different factors that can affect your teenager's health and ensures they get the right support early. Your medical practitioner may ask your teen about home life and the environment they live in.

For a full list of the health checks you and your family should be keeping up with at every stage of life, check out the nib Warrant of Wellness.

This is all part of maintaining balance in your lives, so your health can thrive for years to come. Our health tool, nib Balance via the my nib app, gives our members an overall view of their health (including a gauge of their physical health) and provides expert programmes and advice to get them back on track.

Learn more about nib Balance here.