Episode 99 | Kat’s Story: Chronic Illness as a Teenager - a podcast by Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist
from 2021-12-15T07:00
My guest today, Kat, is sharing her story as a child and now as an adult with chronic illness. I think it’s important for us to change our perspective a bit and hear what the patient has to say. Kat is the community manager at The Mighty, and she has also written two children’s books: Migraine and Mia and Surgery on Sunday. She is such a creative spirit, and she gets really honest with us about what it was like being a teenager in the hospital. She shares what her parents did that worked well, what could have been done differently, and how to support teens with chronic illness.
In this episode, we talk about…
[1:25] Kat’s background
[2:28] The beginning of Kat’s health issues
[4:01] What helped Kat when she was in the hospital
[5:51] Looking back on Kat’s surgical experiences
[7:36] Handling physical differences as a teenager
[11:30] The vestibular system and its role in the body
[13:02] How Kat’s parents helped her deal with chronic illness as a teenager
[16:57] Coping with pain
[19:02] Kat’s advice for herself as a teenager
[20:30] Connecting with others in similar circumstances
Connect with Kat:
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Child Life On Call is a community of parents and professionals that share ideas, stories and resources to help YOU navigate your child’s unique experiences. We give you strategies to support yourself and your family through life’s challenges. We are so glad you are here.
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnh95T1MOYtbpBxJaZqg7rg
Further episodes of Child Life On Call: Parents of children with an illness or medical condition share their stories with a child life specialist
Further podcasts by Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist