Chronic conditions in adolescents

Abstract

The health problems related to the nervous system are on rise in young infants leading to high mortality amongst this age group. A chronic medical condition (CC) is present in this age group to the tune of 10–20%. We searched the electronic database PubMed for pre-clinical as well as clinical controlled trials reporting variable chronic conditions especially in pediatric patients. Most of these reports revealed that type 1 diabetes mellitus is the most common CC in young infants. In female patients, metabolic control is often disturbed during CC in this age group. Poor metabolism regulation often results in long-term complications, including cognitive disorders. In cognitive disorders, memory loss and learning problems are the most among adolescents. Executive problems are observed to be associated with low physical activities. The review article concludes that knowledge about factors influencing treatment adherence is crucial in chronically ill infants. Further, we should focus on protective factors in order to prevent health risk behavior.

A qualitative synthesis of the perceived factors that affect participation in physical activity among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

“…Type 1 diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in children and adolescents [1,2]. The management of type 1 diabetes requires life‐long regulation of blood glucose levels, through the careful management and planning of glucose intake and insulin injections [3‐5].…”

Measuring Mental Wellness Among Adolescents Living With A Physical Chronic Condition: A Systematic Review of the Mental Health and Mental Wellbeing Instruments

“…Alderman et al [10] con rmed a global trend of increasing number of paediatric patients living with chronic medical conditions. In 2017, Jin et al [11] reported that the overall prevalence of CCs among child and adolescent populations is estimated at 15-20%. According to Sawyer [9], initial stresses associated with diagnosis, ongoing stresses from treatments, social disruption, perceived stigma, marginalisation, and changes in plans and expectations about the future present substantive challenges to the social and emotional wellbeing of adolescents living with a CC [9].…”

Psychosocial assessment of families caring for a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, epilepsy or asthma: Psychosocial risk as network of interacting symptoms

“…Families must frequently make substantive changes in their structure and function, involving a redistribution of roles and responsibilities, ensuring financial stability, and providing a caring environment while monitoring their child's illness and treatment. Consequently, the duration and intensity of the illness or treatment, as well as redefining rhythms and routines, enhance the risk for the onset of psychiatric diseases and reduced quality of life over time [32][33][34]. Moreover, the traumatic effects of prolonged and intense stress may become stratified and lead to the onset of disorders such as PTSD both in children as in their parents [35][36][37] with important costs in terms of emotional, financial, and family resources [38].…”

“…Furthermore, when left untreated, impaired psychosocial function may intensify with time, becoming more pronounced as children attempt to master more complex tasks that require the integration of multiple social and cognitive domains [2,33,39]. Consequently, one of the main challenges when caring for a chronically or severely ill child is to understand the role of various functional domains [40], such as, the structure and economic situation of the family, the stress reactivity of the caregiver, family beliefs, and patient related problems [41][42][43][44].…”