Texas Health and Human Services / Texas Health Steps
Interactive Anticipatory Guidance Provider Guide
Middle Adolescence icon

16-Year Checkup

  • Family Well-Being
    • Discuss with teacher any need for additional help if there are school concerns or bullying
  • Keeping Adolescent Safe
    • Discuss self-safety in stalking, abusive relationship and bullying
    • Do not allow driving or riding in a car if use of alcohol or drugs is involved
    • Require always wearing protective gear during sports
    • Lock up guns and enroll in gun safety class if interested
    • Promote use of lap and shoulder safety belts and buckle up as example
    • Provide information about sexuality and risks involved in sexual activity
    • Teach self-safety at friend’s home or car and how to exit situation
    • Discuss drug, tobacco and alcohol use and peer pressure
    • Require wearing a helmet when adolescent uses bicycle, skates or other mobility equipment
  • Healthy Eating
    • Provide nutritious meals and snacks each day
    • Help adolescent maintain healthy weight
    • Limit sweets, sodas and high-fat foods
    • Emphasize the importance of breakfast
    • Encourage healthy eating behaviors
    • Ensure adequate calcium and vitamin D
  • Regular Care and Routines
    • Reinforce two times a day teeth-brushing routine plus daily flossing
    • Encourage physical activity for one hour a day
    • Encourage use of hearing protection
  • Healthy Development
    • Discuss family expectations about dating, sexual contact, abstinence, substance use and peer pressure
    • Discuss transition to adult health care
    • Discuss chronic disease management
    • Establish consistent limits, rules and consequences
    • Increase difficulty of chores to develop sense of family responsibility and self-accomplishment
    • Limit TV and computer time to two hours a day
    • Teach pregnancy, STD and STI prevention
    • Teach breast or testicular self-exam
    • Discuss nonviolent conflict resolution and demonstrate anger management at home
    • Discuss school activities and schoolwork
    • Encourage independent decision-making skills, thinking through steps of a project and involvement in family decisions
    • Establish an agreed-on curfew and after-school activities
    • Establish self-responsibility for homework completion
    • Provide space and time for homework and personal time