Why Adolescent Medicine?

Abstract

Teenagers can be challenging patients. Physicians trained in a variety of specialties may vary greatly in their interest in adolescent health problems and their experience in dealing with them. Four cases are discussed in which important aspects of adolescent growth and development were overlooked and resulted in diagnostic errors. Physicians in all disciplines who deal with teenage patients need to familiarize themselves with the basic physiology and psychology of puberty and the common disease processes seen during adolescence.

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