Getting Alone Time With Your Provider

If your parent or guardian comes with you to your health care appointments, you may still want some time alone with your provider, during which you can ask sensitive questions.

Here are some tips on how to make sure you get time to talk to the provider on your own.

Talk to your parent/guardian before going to the appointment.

Let them know that you want to learn to manage your own healthcare and having alone time with the doctor would help you to start. You could provider some specific information too: “I have questions about topics that may come up in the future, and I want to feel comfortable asking the doctor. Would you be ok if I talked to the doctor alone?

Call ahead and see if the doctor usually talks to teens alone.

If so, you know the provider will likely ask your parents to leave.

Asking for your parents to leave during your appointment.

If your provider doesn’t prompt your parents to leave during the visit. You can ask the doctor while you’re in your appointment: “I was actually hoping my parent/guardian could step out of the room for a bit so I can talk to you privately.”