MINNEAPOLIS - A new consensus statement provides recommendations for transitioning adolescents and young adults with neurologic disorders to adult care. The statement is endorsed by the American Academy of Neurology and created by the Child Neurology Foundation. The research is published in the July 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology ®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"The goal of this research is to help make the transition easier for millions of parents and caregivers of children who are reaching the age where they will be dealing with complex teenage and adult life situations," said study author Lawrence W. Brown, MD, FAAP, with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
Researchers reviewed studies published within the last 10 years focused mainly on transition of care for those with neurologic disorders. Older studies and literature that were relevant to transition in general were also included. The guideline addresses the great majority of adolescents and young adults whose care shifts from pediatric to adult providers. The paper does not directly address children with brain diseases who are not expected to live to adulthood or those children who are managed by adult neurologists. However, it strongly recommends that adult models of care be introduced even if providers are unchanged.
The statement found eight best practices for making the transition as smooth as possible:
"We believe that following these steps will make a real difference in the lives of our patients as they become independent and self-sufficient adults to the greatest extent possible," said Brown.
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The statement is also endorsed by the Child Neurology Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The statement was co-sponsored by Eisai Inc.
To learn more about child neurology, please visit http://www.aan.com/patients .
The American Academy of Neurology, the world's largest association of 30,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
Neurology