One thing for sure…
Having been looked after by a paediatric team as a child, there’ll come a point when you’ll move on – and be looked after by doctors who specialise in adult care.
A growing number of young people, who have had Kawasaki Disease in the UK, have regular care from hospital doctors – because of heart damage caused by Kawasaki Disease, and sometimes because of other complications too.
For young people who have regular hospital care – you’ll probably have been looked after by a paediatric team, specialising in the care of children, since first getting unwell with Kawasaki Disease. As you reach 16, 18 – or sometimes 20 in some hospitals, you’ll make the move up from your paediatric care team to a new team of doctors that specialise in adult care at your hospital.
Sounds worrying? It wont be! What it means is that your team of doctors will change, and you’ll probably be seen in a different part of the hospital. So – if you’re seen in the ‘children’s clinic’ just now, you might be seen in a cardiology clinic in the hospital when you move to the adult team, instead.
But don’t worry – because this won’t just happen all at once – and it certainly wont happen without you knowing about it beforehand. What a lot of hospitals do is organise appointments where you might be seen by your current paediatric doctor, and your new adult doctor at the same time – at “handover” or “transition” clinics, where your care is handed on to the team of adult doctors. It’s a chance for you to get to know more about any changes, new arrangements and more, as well as ask any questions you might have.
