Seeing Pediatrics as an Adult with Disabilities

As an adult with multiple disabilities, I hear lots of debate about other adults still using a pediatrician. This is something that I wish was not a reality, but it is. Working with a doctor for decades, that better understands the complexity of someone with a disability is not something we want to dismiss.  In many cases, it makes no sense to turn away these clients the moment they turn 18 or 21. Some of the questions I see around this issue are:

• Is it right to continue pediatric care for adults with disabilities?
• Should there be limits on how long this is allowed?
• Why does it matter to people with disabilities to continue seeing pediatrics?
• Does it make a difference?
• What else should be considered?

All of these are very complex questions that constantly come up and I would like to provide some input on them. I think it is right to consider keeping pediatric care past the age of 18 to 21 years, and here’s why. For people with disabilities, it can be very scary seeing new doctors and being put through the ringer all over again. It’s not fun and this is something that needs to be addressed.

I don’t think there should ever be limits to how old someone with a disability can be to continue seeing a pediatrician. The decision should be on the individual and their family.  Really, at the end of the day, as long as the individual is receiving the care that they need, it should not make a difference.  Instead, a switch should only happen if they want to do so.

Overall, continuing pediatric care can be controversial, but encouraging a narrative around it and what is right for people is a worthy idea.   

by Justin Boatner