What age can we start "adult" GI?

[kernelmom3]

I know certain GI's have different ways of doing things but I'm wondering if anyone here uses an "adult" GI? DS is 15 so it's only a few more years but I just REALLY dislike his current ped GI. As if perforating his intestine during his colonoscopy and his condescending attitude when DS was sick a week later weren't enough (if I hadn't insisted he wouldn't have done a CT and would have missed an abscess DS had!); I've been waiting for a phone call with DS bone scan results for 3 days! I was told on Friday that I'd get a call back that day but never did! He is the ONLY ped GI in the whole hospital network we go to and it's a great hospital so I don't want to switch the hospital! I know it's important to have a ped GI to follow growth, prescribe correct meds for kids, etc. but DS is on Remicade so the meds are already decided on. Thanks in advance!

 

[Clash]

My son was 15 when dx'ed and an adult GI did his scopes and tests. He woyldve kept him as a patient but we opted to find a ped GI. There were no ped GIs in our area. The adult GI said he was comfortable treating my son at 15 but did admit he had no other pediatric CD patients.

I think Tesscorm son sees an adult GI but I think he transferred at 18. I'm not sure who else.

 

[Catherine]

We have always seen an adult GI but that is because we were referral to a GI after Sarah 16th birthday.

 

[FrozenGirl]

I have always heard 16 is when they start to think of about transition or directly to if it is a new referral

 

[my little penguin]

I know for our hospital its 18.
Adult Gi won't touch kids under 18.
That said Ds started seeing the adult dermo at 10 since it wasn't a good fit with the kiddie dermos .
Can you get awe Ibd opinion at another kiddie Gi ?
We made a very long traveling trip to see a second opinion gi.
Well worth it IMO .
As far as phoning results -most places have a portal where test results are posted so you don't have to wait for them to call .
Waiting by the phone typically means one week or more
Portal -results are seen same time as the doc sees them .

You would need to sign up for portal though .

Good luck

 

[my little penguin]

One other thing do you go to a pediatruc hospital or is it an adult hospital with a single pediatric Gi?
If it's the second I would look for a kiddie hospital .

 

[Maya142]

We didn't take my daughters to a pediatric hospital when they were first diagnosed with juvenile arthritis - BIG mistake! Children's Hospitals are just nicer and make things (procedures for example) so much easier for kids.

That said, it's important to really trust your GI. In our area there are plenty of adult specialists who refuse to see patients before they're 21! Some do see kids at 18. In our experience, adult specialists are much more direct, which can be good or really bad. We've found that pediatric specialists seem to care more, but that is just our experience.

 

[kernelmom3]

Thanks for all the info! As far as the portal, I am signed up but because he's over 13 I'm a healthcare proxy and so I don't have access to everything. The silly thing is, he doesn't have access to anything until he's 18!!! Also, of the tests I can see the doctor has to release them after he's read them and he hasn't yet. Before DS was diagnosed, we had him at Children's Hospital with severe stomach pain, a family history of Crohn's and a CT showing narrowing of the terminal ileum. They kept him overnight and sent him home with NO TESTING!!! So we won't be going back there. I feel like part of the reason to go to a ped GI is to get a gentler bedside manner which we most definitely are NOT getting. I'm going to make some calls to other GI's this week and go from there. Wish me luck...and thanks again!

 

[my little penguin]

There is paperwork that he can fill out at the office with you so you can see the info after age 13.
He just has to ask specifically for it .
We ran in to the same issue with my older one due to being over 13.

 

[kernelmom3]

We filled out the paperwork but I'm still limited. It's like a black hole between 13-18 because I can't access it and neither can he (electronically that is)! I spoke to two different people at the help desk, the nurse at GI office and then a supervisor at the help desk. I even asked how in the world that makes sense...that no one can access records from 13-18 electronically. Their response was basically...that's how we do it, that's the way it is, and you're the only one who has ever had a problem with the way we do things. LOL
So I have had to resort to getting paper copies of all tests which means more work for everybody (ugh).