No longer children and not quite adults, teens face a combustible mix of physical and mental-health issues that can set the stage for long-term problems in adulthood, ranging from obesity and chronic disease to substance abuse and depression. Only about 650 doctors nationwide, a tiny fraction of the total number, are board certified in adolescent medicine. Now, government agencies and medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, are developing programs to train primary-care doctors to more effectively treat adolescents. Doctors are changing how they talk with their teen patients and coming up with phrasing that they think encourages teens to discuss feelings.
