What is Transition?

This section is designed to guide families and young adults as they plan for the transition from pediatric to adult health care.  Each section brings up issues that families often face during the transition process.  After reviewing this section, you should have a better idea of the issues that your family might face.

What is transition?
Questions for Youth
Suggestions for Parents
Suggestions for Professionals
Tasks of Health Care...who is responsible?
Characteristics of Pediatric vs. Adult Care
Health Care Skills Checklist
Timeline / Steps Toward Successful Transition

 

What is transition?

Transition means change.  Transition from youth to adulthood involves many factors: education, employment, finances, home living, community living, recreation and leisure, and personal responsibility.  Often, health is not considered as an important part of transition planning, yet health care influences all areas of life.   Transition includes preparing for health care.

Transition is a process, not an event.  It should occur gradually, in concert with adolescent and family development.

Successful transition to adult health care includes the completion of tasks by all involved:

• Young adults take charge of their lives, including health care.
• Parents gradually let go of the care of their children.
• Health care providers support this process.

Questions for youth as they plan for health care transition

• What medications do you take?  What allergies do you have?
• What can you expect from your body as you grow older?

• What do you need to know about your health condition to prepare for the work environment?
• What impact will health needs have on where you will go to college?
• Will you need to be near a large medical center so you can receive specialty health care if needed?
• Do your health needs prohibit any recreational activities?

• How will you decide which doctor to see?  Where will you find the information to make this decision?
• Where is the doctor in the community?  What will you do about transportation?

• How will you prepare for appointments with health care professionals?
• How will you pay for your own health care?

Suggestions for parents as they help young adults transition in health care

• Talk with your son or daughter about health care.  Learn what he or she thinks about managing his or her own care.
• Identify the health care skills that your son or daughter can perform, the skills he or she needs to learn, and the skills requiring assistance.  For example, some youth may not be able to talk about the medications they take, but can carry information in their wallets.
• Teach your child any danger signs associated with his or her condition.  Develop a plan of action for your son or daughter to follow when the danger signs are present.
• Encourage your son or daughter to schedule and prepare for his or her own medical appointments.
• Encourage your son or daughter to talk to his or her doctor (and other health care providers) and to ask questions.
• Identify people who can address health issues in planning transition for your son or daughter.  It may be a physician, school nurse, teacher, or family member.   Goals for learning about one's disorder or disability are appropriate for the IEP.
• Consider naming a physician who can take over the health care of your son or daughter once he or she is an adult.  Meet with the doctor, so he or she is familiar with your young adult's needs.
• Identify a health advocate, if needed.  It can be a family member or a friend who will interact with health care providers on behalf of the person who may need assistance or may be unable to communicate clearly for himself or herself.
• Teach your son or daughter (at all ages) basic life skills, providing ample opportunity to practice problem solving and management skills.  Identify areas that require extra attention.
• Discuss career goals with your son or daughter.
• Take good care of yourself -- parents and other family members are role models for children at all ages.
  

Suggestions for professionals

• Offer a "teaching physical exam" to provide information about physical status, special problems, and care needs.  This exam helps ensure that the young adult has knowledge about his or her strengths, weakness, and needs.
• Summarize pertinent medical information from childhood to be passed on to adult care providers.  This summary eliminates the need to transfer lengthy medical records.   A sample summary form is posted on this website.
• Provide a single point of entry to a system that coordinates the needed care.