Adult Head and Neck Health Care Needs for Individuals with Complex Chronic Conditions of Childhood

Millions of adults in the United States are currently living with what is termed chronic childhood conditions—childhood-onset conditions, about which adult providers often receive minimal training—and another half million youths with special health care needs enter adulthood each year and will undergo transition from pediatric to adult care. Here, the authors review the important otolaryngologic manifestations of several of these chronic childhood conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, as well as the primary care providers’ role in caring for transitioning tracheostomy-dependent patients.