Transitioning to Adult Medical Care:
Social-Emotional Challenges
Our adolescents with Duchenne face a surplus of barriers when turning into an adult.
Not only are common adult responsibilities – like attending school, getting a job, and managing finances – exponentially more complicated for the teens in our community, but they also have the added project of transitioning from pediatric Duchenne care to adult Duchenne care.
This medical transition period is far more than just visiting a different office building. There are often cognitive and social-emotional challenges to address at a time when health status may be changing rapidly.
From establishing multiple new medical relationships, to determining the level of knowledge of the new specialists, efficient communication with the new office, transferring medical history, considering medical power of attorney (and more), it’s a full time job unto itself.
This YouTube video shares the transition to adulthood experience of an individual with Duchenne on a very personal level. It features David Gonzalez, his parents and his care team. They explore these medical and social-emotional challenges in more detail. It’s a must-watch.
Transitioning is so important to understand when supporting the teen and adult with Duchenne. Hopefully this video will help our community and our support systems better understand the extraordinary number of challenges our teens with Duchenne face.