Preparing for Your Transition

How Family Members Can Prepare for Transition...

  1. When your child is 8 years old, start to talk to them about the changes that will happen in clinic. Explain that the team will ask them questions directly. This allows the child to become comfortable answering questions while they have you as a safety net in the room.
  2. Work with our child at home to take an active role in their care. You can use the checklists in this guide to do so. Take one thing at a time and encourage independence.
  3. When your child is 14, encourage them to start seeing the CF team on their own for the first half of the clinic visit. You can join in half way through and review the information we have gone over and ask any questions that you may have. This helps create independence and will allow your child to form a relationship with their health care providers. This will also help them learn how to form future relationships with the adult CF team.
  4. Find out about the age limit and terms of coverage on your insurance plan.
  5. If you would like to speak with another parent whose child has transitioned to the adult CF team, please let us know and we can arrange this for you.
  6. Remember that you are not alone and we are there to help at any time.

What Adolescents/Young Adults Can do to Prepare for Transition...

  1. As you get older, take on more responsibility for your care.
  2. Keep a list of your medications, doctors and CF team members along with other information on managing CF.
  3. Learn how to obtain and maintain an appropriate weight with proper nutrition.
  4. If you would like to talk with another young adult who recently transitioned, we would be happy to arrange this for you.
  5. Find out about health insurance.
  6. Make a list of questions to take to your first adult clinic appointment.
  7. Over time, work through the checklists for each stage.
  8. Remember that you are not alone and we are here to help you at any time.

What the CF clinic team can do...

  1. Encourage you to meet the Nurse case manager from the Adult team.
  2. Encourage you to come to clinic prepared to talk about your health, medications and therapies.
  3. Remind you that you aren’t alone and help you with the transition.
  4. Provide you with all of the information and resources you need to become independent in your care.
  5. The adult team will answer all your questions and make the transition very smooth.