Both individuals who have a difference/disorder of sex development (DSD) or an adrenal disorder (AD) require life-long medical and psychosocial care, with age-specific accents. Transition from the paediatric to the adult clinic is a crucial event in the medical history of many adolescents, which can greatly influence their long-term outcome.
Whereas adult endocrinologists traditionally see far more patients with ADs, paediatric endocrinologists are much more familiar with the management of DSDs. Exchange of expertise is extremely motivating and interesting for both specialties and is crucial for our patients. Especially within the field of DSD, there has recently been a very strong focus on patient autonomy, and many medical decisions that used to be taken by the parents, are now deferred to an age where adolescents are at the core of the decision-making team. This poses new challenges for patients but also for adult endocrinologists, who are often unfamiliar with e.g. surveillance of gonads in situ, or the management of vaginal hypoplasia. Formal transition protocols can be a great way of shared learning on these topics.
The goals of the transition process are to ensure that adolescents are fully informed on all aspects of their past medical history and to jointly design a clear plan that addresses their future medical needs in a context of shared decision-making. It is crucial that adolescents feel fully comfortable with the adult endocrinologist and other specialists who will follow them further on and that they are equipped with all the skills they need to organise and comply with the (often complex) care for their condition autonomously.
Questions that will be addressed in this presentation are: Why is a formal transition protocol important? When to start the transition process? What are the topics to be discussed? How to assess transition readiness? These questions will be illustrated with some examples from our clinical practice.
Lobby
Video on Demand
Exhibition Halls
Poster Gallery
PROGRAMME