TRANSITIONING YOUNG ADULTS WITH AN INTELLECTUAL OR OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY TO ADULT HEALTHCARE

Got Transition(r), created by the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, outlines core elements of an organized healthcare transition process (www.gottransition.org) specific to young adults with an IDD, including young adults with autism spectrum disorder Even youth served by a family physician and who intend to remain in that family practice as they age into adulthood require healthcare transition services, including: * assessing readiness to transition to adult care * updating the medical history * assessing and promoting self-care skills * discussing consent and optimizing participation in decisionmaking as adulthood approaches * transferring specialty care from pediatric to adult specialists. In addition to preventive care visits and management of chronic disease, additional domains that require explicit attention in transitioning youth with an IDD include health insurance, transportation, employment, and postsecondary education. THE VALUE OF SYSTEMATIC HEALTH CHECKS A health check is a systematic and comprehensive health assessment that is provided annually to adults with IDD, and includes: * specific review of signs and symptoms of health conditions that often co-occur in adults with IDD (See Table 1). * screening for changes in adaptive functioning and secondary disability * lifestyle counseling * medication review and counseling * immunization update * discussion of caregiver concerns. Features generally associated with a higher likelihood of an abnormal genetic test result include: * a family history of developmental disability * a congenital malformation or dysmorphic features * a dual diagnosis of developmental disability and co-occurring mental illness * hypotonia * severe or profound IDD.