World Diabetes Day is November 14th!!!
I have been participating in an online campaign to expand the conversation around diabetes. Today’s topic is transition to adult diabetes care.
Transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care is something I went through personally- as young adults with chronic illnesses do- and it is also the focus of my work. I was hired on at the Diabetes Care Program of NS in January part time for a 2- year contract to help improve rates of successful transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care/services.
Youth with diabetes are followed by the same pediatric health care team/physician ~every 3 months until their last year of high school. Then they are referred to a new adult team or at least an adult specialist. This can be a challenging time because the youth and parents/caregivers often have rapport built and trust in their pediatric team/physician to help manage their diabetes and then they are required to “start over” with a new adult team/physician. Responsibility of care shifts from a focus on the parent/caregiver to a focus on the young person to understand and sufficiently self manage their diabetes.
Rather than an abrupt switch from pediatric to adult care it’s important to build knowledge and skills at an age-appropriate level to gradually prepare (~age 13 on) so that it is not so overwhelming when the time comes to transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care.
Some reasons planned/prepared transition is important:
• Helps reduce youth/young adults having gaps in care
• Helps reduce diabetic emergencies/complications
• Helps support youth/young adults and their families through the challenging period
• Helps identify the youth/young adults’ diabetes educational needs
#WDD15