Growing up - Medical Transitions from Pediatric Care to Adult Care
Dr. Christina Sarmiento presents research and provides recommendations for families and medical providers on best practices for transitions to adulthood for youth with childhood onset disabilities.
Dr. Cristina Sarmiento is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado. She is trained in both adult and pediatric rehabilitation medicine as well as general pediatrics. Her clinical and research interests are in improving health care access and outcomes across the lifespan for individuals with childhood-onset disabilities, particularly at the transition to adulthood. At Children's Hospital Colorado, she started the Cerebral Palsy Transition Program within the Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic and at UCHealth - the university-affiliated adult healthcare system - she started the Adults with Cerebral Palsy Clinic.
We need a transition that is a long term, developmental process, that is inclusive of ALL parties, flexible, supportive of emerging autonomy and adulthood...because it is a scary time and it is an exciting time!