When you were younger, your parents made all the decisions for you. Whether it was about what clothes to wear or what the family was going to have for dinner, or anything.
But now in your teenage years, your independence means that you get a say in things. When you turn 18 you’ll be able to call your own shots.
Big changes are coming in your life, which might make you feel many different things. Excited, anxious, overwhelmed… maybe even impatient for it to all happen. Among all the other responsibilities that come with being an adult, possibly the most important change that you’ll face is that you will start to take ownership of your medical care.
Beginning from around the age of 15, your CF clinic team will begin the process to transition your CF care from a children’s hospital to an adult hospital. The transition process will equip you with knowledge so you know what to expect.
It’s not a fast handover to the adult team, it’s a gradual process where you are encouraged to learn more about your CF care, where your clinicians will begin involving you more in decision-making.
This means that they will consult with you and ask for your opinions, instead of just dealing with your parents. A big part of this is helping you build up your knowledge of CF and of your own medical history, so that you’ll have all the information you’ll need to make decisions about your treatment later on.
The transition to adult care will involve you learning new skills. Things like how to advocate on your own behalf so that you can be comfortable that your voice is being heard and your needs are being met.
You’ll get your head around your treatment plan, what your medications do, and how you fill a prescription. You’ll get your own Medicare card for the first time too. Then there’s the logistics of your clinic visits – scheduling them, travelling to clinic, and how to navigate your way around an adult hospital.
It sounds like a lot, but the process is gradual. We encourage you to start talking to your doctors and CF team as early as possible, it can even be before you turn 15, The earlier you learn about managing your own CF, with the support of your parents, the easier the transition to adult care will be for you.
When it comes time to make the transition after you turn 18, your paeditatric clinic will arrange a meeting with your new adult hospital CF team and you’ll have the chance to talk to your new team and ask questions. Once you have had this meeting, you have officially transitioned and your next clinic visit will be at your new hospital.
Information on Transition from around Australia
While we share lots of information and story telling on CFStrong, there is also other information available and worth looking at, especially for the state you live in. If you have found other resources or sites you love, please let us know and we will list them here too!
VIC – Take a deep breath for the future – PDF Brochure (Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne)
NSW – Trapeze – supporting young people to manage their conditions (Sydney Children’s Hospital Network)
QLD – Transitioning to adulthood: A guide for adolescents and young adults
