Definition of age and age limit

The transition from one stage of development to another varies for every child. These differences can already be seen in infancy – one child speaks earlier while another child may take their first steps sooner. This makes the concept of age somewhat difficult as the chronological age does not necessarily reflect a child‘s stage of development and degree of maturity. However, many support services are tied to age limits.

The chronological age is a fixed value, for example 14 years, which cannot be changed. It is needed to set age limits. Such limits are necessary to ensure that rights and obligations are respected.

However, the phase between adolescence and adulthood is different for every young person and is often associated with challenges and hurdles. The medical term for this phase is "transition". This process refers to the shift from a child-centred healthcare system to an adult-centred one. After all, in adult medicine, young people are expected to make decisions and manage their therapies independently. However, many need time before they can achieve this level of self-care and autonomy.
 

Further information on the transition

The Austrian Children’s League is committed to supporting a smoother transition to adult-oriented medical care. Under the following link, parents, guardians and all those who work with children and adolescents can find information on why a successful transition phase is so important: