Care of Adults with Chronic Childhood Conditions

This book addresses the unique healthcare needs of adults with chronic childhood illnesses. It presents a model of primary and secondary prevention for emerging adulthood: primary prevention, in which all young adults are screened for high-risk behaviors and health needs, and secondary prevention, in which young adults with chronic childhood conditions are optimized through coordinated care, connections to community resources and social/family support.

Now in its revised and expanded second edition, this book is organized in seven parts. Part I provides a detailed overview of the health care transition from pediatrics to adult medicine from both a policy and practice perspective. New topics in this section include telemedicine as a tool to optimize transition care and systems of care/models of care that include practical steps on how to get transition/transfer done or care for these patients in the appropriate setting. In Part II, the concept of emerging adulthood as a developmental period is explored and strategies for providing improved comprehensive care for this age group are discussed. A section on addressing health maintenance has been added to this edition. Part III reviews specific chronic childhood conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes mellitus, and offers clinical cases and summary reports that can be used as a quick guides to each condition. Several new conditions have been added to this section, including metabolic issues/conditions, eating disorders, transgender medicine and childhood endocrine conditions. Section IV is a completely new section that focuses on hospital medicine. Chapters within this section include pre-op clearance, maintaining safety, neurodiversity considerations, ER issues and triaging, emergencies, contact with PCP, adult issues not addressed, pediatric issues often overlooked, inpatient transition policies, procedures, Med-Peds/Transition, palliative care/hospice and unique inpatient cases. In Part V, additional clinical considerations that are not necessarily condition-specific but are highly relevant to the care of young adults with chronic childhood conditions are examined. Part VI describes the socio-legal issues involved in caring for this population. Finally, part VII is another completely new section that focuses on public health and population considerations. Chapters in this section include telemedicine, disaster preparedness, quality improvement, health care services, mental health/psychiatry, neurodiversity and addressing equity and racism.

Written by experts in the field, Care of Adults with Chronic Childhood Conditions, 2e provides primary care providers with a new framework for the care of young adults and identifies opportunities to influence patient health outcomes over a life trajectory.