By ages 12-18, or according to your child's
developmental ability:
- Continue to allow your teen to help with family chores.
- Continue teaching your teen normal self-help skills as
well as skills related to his or her special health care need.
- Continue to encourage hobbies and leisure activities.
- Assess your teen's perception and basic knowledge of his
or her special health care need, and fill in gaps in his or her
understanding.
 Begin helping your teen
keep a record of his/her medical history, including conditions,
operations, treatments (dates, doctors, recommendations) and Individualized
Education Program (IEP) if on an IEP.- If on an IEP, encourage teen to participate in IEP meeting.
- Begin helping your teen take responsibility for making
and keeping his or her own medical appointments and ordering supplies.
- Begin exploring health care financing for your soon-to-be
young adult.
- Discuss sexuality with your teen.
- Help your teen identify and build on his or her strengths.
- If your teen is interested, explore support groups.
- Begin to talk about and explore career interests with your
teen.
- Help your teen find work and volunteer activities.
- Help your teen identify and be involved with adult or older
teen role models.
- With your teen, encourage age-appropriate care from his/her
family practitioner or pediatrician.
- With your teen, begin to identify with whom they will eventually
be receiving their health care as an adult.
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