5 Ways to Help a Child with Cystic Fibrosis Live a Longer, Healthier Life

Once a child is fully developed, and as they come of age, treatment falls out of the realm of pediatric care and into independent, adult health care. Cystic fibrosis can continue to cause complications after the lungs are fully developed, and the disease needs to be treated regularly throughout all of a person’s life. Making sure that a child is properly transitioned into their own, self-responsible health care program is critical to ensuring that there are not gaps or complications in adjusting to life as an independent, fully-capable adult.

In most cases, a child’s pediatric team will have a program in place to transition children with cystic fibrosis into adult health care programs. Even if there is no formal transition program available, a social worker should be able to coordinate the transfer of all medical records over to an adult health care provider. Part of a formal transition includes a sit-down meeting between pediatric providers and adult providers to discuss the individual case and relay any ongoing issues with the new team.