We are excited to have been invited back as a guest host of a new episode of the ISCoS Podcast "SCI Care: What Really Matters". This time, Catharina Cziczkat of Wellspect, Germany is joined by Jens Larsson, Skånes University Hospital SUS, Sweden and Dr Allison Graham, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, UK to discuss navigating from childhood to becoming an independent teenager. How can you do this when dealing with sensitive areas such as catheterization and bowel management?'
During the episode, the panel of speakers take turns sharing their knowledge and experience, explaining how we can make the transition to adult services workable for families with children in need of bladder and bowel management. What can we do to help teenagers become more independent, removing the responsibility from the parents and placing this onto themselves? What are the tips to motivate them, and what does this look like?
'It's an embarrassing subject and it's an area that you don't as a child, or even as a parent want to talk about. But you need to build that confidence with the family and, make them comfortable in talking to you about it as well. That's something I think is important, to give the families and the child as much information as possible.'
- Jens Larsson
The ultimate goal is to ensure the transition from child to teenager is as smooth as possible, giving them all the tools and knowledge to empower them and whilst avoiding complications. Together all the panellists agree that if you can work with the child's family and involve the child, informing them both about all of the information available to them, the process can be successfully managed.
To learn more about this topic, make sure you listen to the full episode. Press the link below!