Biological
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Biologically
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Delayed/impaired puberty | Increased caloric requirement for growth may negatively impact on disease parameters |
Short stature | Pubertal hormones may impact on disease parameters (e.g. growth hormone impairs metabolic control in diabetes) |
Reduced bone mass accretion | |
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Psychological
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Poor adherence and poor disease control due to:
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Infantilisation | Poorly developed abstract thinking and planning (reduced ability to plan and prepare using abstract concepts) |
Adoption of sick role as personal identifier | Difficulty in imagining the future; self-concept as being “bullet proof” |
Egocentricity persists into late adolescence | Rejection of medical professionals as part of separation from parents |
Impaired development of sense of sexual or attractive self | Exploratory (risk taking) behaviours |
Impaired development of cognitive functions and information processing | |
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Social
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Associated health risk behaviours
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Reduced independence at a time of when independence is normally developing | Chaotic eating habits may result in poor nutrition |
Failure of peer relationships then intimate (couple) relationships | Smoking, alcohol and drug use often in excess of normal population rates |
Social isolation | Sexual risk taking, possibly in view of realisation of limited life span |
Educational failure and then vocational failure; failure of development of independent living ability | |