The Growing Need for a Transitional Age Program for Adolescents with Epilepsy in Korea

Abstract

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions in adolescents and young adults. The transition from the pediatric to the adult health care system can be a major challenge for most adolescents with epilepsy and their families. An unsuccessful transition can have a detrimental effect on them as individuals, as well as on their families. Generally speaking, pediatric epileptologists often feel uncomfortable when they deal with adolescents and young adults with epilepsy due to unfamiliarity with the common psychosocial problems and diseases of adulthood, while adult epileptologists are unfamiliar with childhood-specific epilepsy syndromes and, in many cases, patients’ previous history. Therefore, a transitional age program (TAP) is imperative to remediate the care gap and facilitate a smooth transition from the pediatric to the adult care system. A TAP is a set of processes that cover all the areas of the transition, including an assessment of transition readiness, rethinking the diagnosis using currently available tests, a reevaluation for neurobehavioral comorbidities, education, setting goals, and providing recommendations. Furthermore, the TAP should start as early as possible and must be comprehensive, flexible, and patient-centered. The cost-benefit effectiveness of TAPs requiring a multidisciplinary team has not been fully evaluated, but TAPs are becoming ubiquitous, especially in developed countries. I think that TAPs must be implemented in practical ways for adolescents and young adults with epilepsy at tertiary epilepsy centers as soon as possible in Korea. Key words: Epilepsy; Transitional care; Adolescent.