Pediatric to Adult Healthcare Transition
When your child is little, you help them through every aspect of medical care. From making sure they make it to their doctor’s appointments to filling prescriptions, you set the stage for a lifetime of health.
At 18, when your child becomes an adult, they'll be in charge of their healthcare. At UVA Health and UVA Health Children's, we can help you and your child through this transitioning process. By taking over aspects of their care at a younger age, your child will be more empowered and ready to navigate their health as an adult.
When should kids be more in charge of their health?
Every child reaches developmental milestones a little earlier or later. Some children may feel confident talking to adults at a very young age. Others may need more time.
Early steps of transitioning care can be as simple as encouraging your child to ask their own questions at their healthcare appointments. Some questions they may want to ask include questions about:
- Nutrition
- Body changes
- Aches & pains
- Details about an existing medical condition
Preparing your child for adulthood is just one of the joys of parenting. But many parents don't know when that journey should start. And though health is important, it often gets neglected.
This timeline should help as you prepare your child to be the navigator of their healthcare.
What Should the Timeline Look Like?
While every child is different, there are general guidelines we go by.
By the age of 12/13
Children should be able to:
- List any allergies they have
- Ask their doctor questions about their health
- Name medications they may be on
By the age of 14-15
Your child should be able to:
- Tell a doctor their relevant family medical history
- Talk about medical preferences with their family
- Carry their own insurance card (and have a plan for emergencies)
- Practice making an appointment
By the age of 16-17
Children can usually:
- Make an appointment
- Talk to their provider alone
- Ask the provider questions they have
- Request medication refills
- Login to MyChart
What Changes at 18?
At 18, there are a lot of healthcare changes that happen all at once. Here's a run-down of what those changes are and how you can stay one step ahead on each of them.
What if my child isn’t able to navigate their healthcare?
At 18, your child will be a legal adult. But sometimes they need a little more time to feel ready to be medically independent. If they still need help making healthcare decisions, then you’ll need to discuss that in advance. Ask your child’s care team about what options are most appropriate for you.
Depending on the situation, we can help you setup:
- Medical guardianship
- Proxy medical access
- Power of attorney
Who needs to be involved?
For successful transitional care, caregivers, children, and providers need to coordinate. As parents transition from manager to consultant, children transition to being the leaders of their care.
For providers, that means knowing when to ask a child questions. And how to encourage them to be actively involved without overwhelming them.