Transition to Adulthood for Children Who Experienced Acquired Brain Injury: Lessons Learned from a Model Program for Adolescents.

The purpose of this presentation is to describe lessons learned from a model program that was developed to serve adolescents who experienced ABI in childhood during their transition to adulthood by providing insights to achieve good health and assessment of needs in both healthcare and educational/career areas.The program strived to provide teens with strategies for improving health and academic performance, determining career goals and interests, examine existing educational programs and providing information about long term effects, driving, returning to competitive sports and utilizing technology for self-management.
Adolescents who experience brain injury during childhood benefit from a program that addresses their educational and healthcare needs as they transition to adulthood. Programs that include education on lasting effects, goal setting, peer coaches, fitness assessment, vocational interests and technology use provide a range of services that can facilitate this process. Long term follow-up studies of children who experience brain injury is needed to better understand transition to adulthood and achievement of optimal outcomes.