Vikram Bhise, MD, associate professor, pediatrics and neurology; and division director, division of child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities, Rutgers–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Vikram Bhise, MD

“A lot of it—and I don't have a defined point [but] hopefully, that's something we can figure out in further studies—is listening very carefully for that point where teenagers are ready to listen. There may be a sense in the beginning that it's just too overwhelming, or they know that their parents are taking care of it, or the perhaps they're in a bit of denial, or just that they want some time to process things.”

Transition readiness is crucial for patients with pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS), ideally discussed during a visit(s) focused solely on the move to adulthood. Vikram Bhise, MD, associate professor, pediatrics and neurology; and division director, division of child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities, Rutgers–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, discussed the need to engage teenagers with MS in conversation, particularly when they signal that they are ready to begin learning more about their condition. Listening for this readiness can assist in identifying the best time to schedule a transition visit to set goals and identify patients’ individual areas of need. 

Findings from the qualitative study were presented at the 

2021 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)

, October 25-28, with investigators finding 4 main themes following semi-structured interviews with patients between the ages of 15 and 26 years. Bhise advised clinicians to ask “commonsense questions” that may be important for a teenager who would not have considered the distance to the nearest emergency room from their college campus or where they will pick up their medication from. He further advised discussing the importance of patient outlook and involvement, as both can impact desired outcomes. 

Veras JM, Thoby E, Nallapati S, Jimenez M, Bhise V. No one really plans to have multiple sclerosis: Transition readiness and quality of life in pediatric multiple sclerosis. Presented at: 2021 CMSC Annual Meeting; October 25-28. Abstract PSY06.

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The associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at Rutgers–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School commented on the need to recognize when adolescent patients are ready to learn more about their condition. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]

Talking Transitional Readiness for Teens With Multiple Sclerosis: Vikram Bhise, MD

“I think probably the biggest element was that the teenagers really didn't have any of the language to discuss transition. We anticipated that there would be transition needs and that they were probably not all being met, and that some people were doing better than others. But we really found that the majority of people were unable to discuss in any meaningful way—they lacked completely the vocabulary. That was a big area of need, of just starting to get people involved at those early steps and saying, ‘These are the things that are available, and these are the things you should ask about.’”

, October 25-28, Vikram Bhise, MD, associate professor, pediatrics and neurology; and division director, division of child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities, Rutgers–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, sat down with 

 to discuss transition readiness for patients with pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). 

Bhise outlined the qualitative study, where investigators conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with patients with pediatric MS between the ages of 15-26 years. Discussing key findings, Bhise commented on patient responses, which highlighted the importance of timing transitional discussions, as teenagers reported that they felt ready for their parents to start sharing information and teaching them more about their condition. Investigators also found that teenagers often didn’t have the language to have these meaningful conversations and were often “hyper-focused” on physical aspects, which Bhise noted was not surprising but important to hear patients vocalize. 

Interaction with family was also found to be vital, with the element of family being an overarching theme, and confidence was an issue when disclosing details about MS to peers or employers. Patients did, however, want to know the truth about their condition, with Bhise noting, “They wanted to hear the good and the bad, pretty much from the get-go.”

Veras JM, Thoby E, Nallapati S, Jimenez M, Bhise V. No one really plans to have multiple sclerosis: Transition readiness and quality of life in pediatric multiple sclerosis. Presented at: 2021 CMSC Annual Meeting; October 25-28. Abstract PSY06.

The associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at Rutgers–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School discussed findings from a qualitative study that aimed at understanding priorities and concerns within this patient population during a transitional period.  

Vikram Bhise, MD

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Talking Transitional Readiness for Teens With Multiple Sclerosis: Vikram Bhise, MD

Transition Readiness, Quality of Life in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis: Vikram Bhise, MD

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