Chronic illness in teens

The Medical Coping Team at Children’s Hospital Boston provides comprehensive assessments of patients and their families facing medical experiences. A psychological evaluation of your teen can provide information about his or her coping style, and can help parents determine how best to help their child adjust.

• Psychologists can help parents find ways to explain complex medical information to children, and can help parents consider the best timing for surgeries and hospitalizations that are not emergencies.
• A preadmission preparation program may be developed for your individual child and family to help everyone in the family prepare for and cope with the hospitalization.
• Psychologists can prepare your child for specific tests and operations using medical play therapy techniques, and can help parents find ways to manage their own feelings about the hospitalization.
• Evaluations involve parent and child interviews and the completion of questionnaires. Based on the evaluation process, parents are provided with specific feedback and recommendations.