Don't switch doctors yet if he's going for that diagnosis since the current one will know him well. That's one that takes a bit of finagling to get it right. A lot like depression diagnosis and subsequent medicating. Been there done both of those (not me, but my family).

That said, my son's physician asked him outright, NOT me (he's an adult), what he wanted to do and picked stay with her until he graduates. Sounded reasonable to me!

My kids were born in the 70s. Both were with our regular family doctor by the time they hit middle school. I think we switched when their pediatrician retired when they were still in grade school. They never had a pediatric dentist. Just the one we all went to. at eighteen DD went off to college and took care of her own health care needs. DS lived at home for longer but he was working full time shortly and making his own decisions as an adult by only occasionally asking our advice on how to go about some life skill or other. He had older friends and co workers so he had his own network for doctors, dentists, insurance agents etc. by then.

The only time I accompanied him to a doctor was after a bad accident when he couldn't drive himself. i stayed in the waiting room as I would with any other adult.

Today I sometimes go with DH to his doctor. We both had to sign paperwork to have on file for the doctor or staff to speak to us about anything regarding one another. HIPPA laws are taken seriously around here.

I've asked their dentist before and they said they have kids still in college going so it's not like they are kicking us out the door.

I'm going to have to have son call the dr. office. I called a couple weeks ago for an appt. for him and she did mention that since he was over 18 he would need to call but she did let me make that appt. We ended having to cancel, so I had him call and cancel.

Son's pediatric dentist, called me back, after a regular visit and told us it was time for son to move on and start going to the family dentist. Think he was 12 then.

Dentist - it depends on the dentist. A busy dentist will probably follow some age guideline to make room for new patients. A less busy one is not likely to tell you to go away. Some ped dentists are perfectly capable of treating more advanced problems, some aren't.

Doctor - kinda the same issues, how busy are they or aren't then? What most people see a primary care doc for, the age-range training doesn't necessarily lock out young adults from seeing a pediatrician. Although someone focused on seeing little ones may not have an active Rolodex of age appropriate specialists should referrals be needed.

For us, it was maybe around 16 years of age in both cases.

Different issue, your son's concern about paying attention. He's already gotten through the biggest chunk of his education, why didn't the issue come up before? The drugs given younger kids are controversial, some say they work, some say they don't. Your son is an adult now in any event - drugs are rarely used and he needs to develop techniques and skills that will help him function as an adult, whether or not he has a medical diagnosis. I'd start maybe with a psychologist specializing in the area. But let him know this is something that he needs to take ownership of. Note, indifferent/less motivated students do have trouble paying attention, it has nothing to do with neuro/psychological factors. Could that be at work here?

Good luck.

both dentist and pediatrician keep them till they graduated H.S. we were gently told, "um we are done with them, move on to adult P.C. & adult dentist."

they didn't want to be with the little ones anyway, kinda of funny to walk into doctor's office with a jungle gym with a 17 yr. old :)

to OP:, i would get all his records from pediatrician and bring to new PC. i would want to start with new doctor since the process might take a while and this way the new PC has all new test results and can guide u in right direction. ask peds doc for a referral if you need a doctor or send him to yours.

Peds will eventually "kick you out", so they have to start sometime., now would be that time. and they are old enough to start taking on the responsibility of their health, with your guidance of course.

My son hadn't been to the doctor in years. My daughter is 22 and was still going to her pediatrician last year. Since she's moved back to the big city, though, she's been going to urgent care in that city. My kids had never been to a pediatric dentist, we all went to the same one.

My kids never went to a pediatrician. From infancy they went to the family doctor and the family dentist when of age for dental checkups.

"My kids never went to a pediatrician. From infancy they went to the family doctor "

Was your family doctor trained in "family medicine" or adult internal medicine?

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/08/17/peds.2017-2151

Pediatrics, August 2017
From the American Academy of Pediatrics
Policy Statement, Age Limit of Pediatrics
COMMITTEE ON PRACTICE AND AMBULATORY MEDICINE

I know little about this particular issue, and most certainly don't have a horse in this race (none of the docs in the family are pediatricians). BUT

I do know enough to recognize that policy statements of professional associations, be it the AMA, the ABA, the AICPA, or others like this one representing some sub-set of a profession, are more often than not motivated to protect the interests of its members and for that reason are inherently subjective. And, for that reason such views are often not considered to be as credible as the originating org would like them to be.

Easy--mine never did. Stuck to general practitioners and our family dentist.

elmer, I don't think you're right. I think the organization has an interest in the issue, and selects a committee/group of experts to write about the topic. AHA comes to mind. I aint the expert, but I know the experts professionally and have for more than a decade.