Adolescents With Autism Least Likely To Receive Guidance From Physicians On Shift From Pediatric To Adult Health Care

Adolescents with autism are the least likely to receive guidance from their doctor on the shift from pediatric to adult health care. Only about 9% of adolescents with autism received transition planning, compared with about 20% overall of those with emotional conditions, and 15% overall of those with behavioral conditions.

Approximately 16% of adolescents with mental, behavioral and developmental disorders (MBDDs), and about 14% without, received the recommended transition-planning guidance. Of all adolescents with MBDDs, the group with the highest percentage of adolescents to receive transition planning were those with depression  (26.8%), followed by those with anxiety (19 . . .