Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: adolescence and transition

Abstract

Background: For individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), transition is synonymous with the time when the young adult shifts from the paediatric clinic to adult services and assumes primary responsibility for managing the condition, and medical issues change from a focus on growth and development to long-term health preservation. Sex and fertility issues become a focus. The complexities of CAH in teenage life demand that the clinical management team provide subjects with special attention during the transition from paediatric to adult care. Educating subjects on the principles of adrenal suppression and the diurnal rhythm of the adrenal glands requires time and encouragement in the first few visits to adult clinics.

Conclusions: The transition period affords the young adult an opportunity for an educational review of CAH that may never arise again so conveniently and will be beneficial for optimising their well-being as adults.