Even if you have an open and honest relationship with your parents, you can be uncomfortable talking about certain things with them. Many young people want to have someone they can talk to privately about difficult or embarrassing things. This can feel impossible if your parents are always at doctors appointments with you. The doctors will usually have you and your parents in together for the first part of the appointment. They will often then ask your parents to leave the room while they examine you. This gives you the chance to talk about things with your doctor alone.
talking to your doctors and nurses can really help
Having an open, trusting relationship with your doctors and nurses (health care professionals) is really important. Anything you discuss with the doctor or nurse is confidential. This means that they won’t tell anyone else what you’ve talked about or what your worries are. They won’t discuss it with your parents either.
It’s normal to feel nervous or anxious when you talk about certain things with health care professionals. Most of them will understand that young people can feel uncomfortable or embarrassed talking about some things. Remember that they’ll have talked about the same kind of stuff with lots of other young people before.
Knowing that you can trust the doctor or nurse you speak to can help you feel more comfortable discussing things with them. There may be a youth support group at the hospital. Ask your nurse or social worker what's available in your area.
