Age Matters

All children are different and it is difficult to predict precisely how their recoveries after a liver transplant will progress. However, some general age differences have been noted.

Young Children Recovering from Liver Transplant

Very young children tend to take significant strides toward developmental milestones one or two years into their recovery from a liver transplant. For example, they may begin attending preschool and kindergarten, learn to ride a bike and become involved in extracurricular activities, such as gymnastics classes and T-ball.

Older Children and Teenagers Recovering from Liver Transplant

Older children tend to become more depressed and have a more difficult time seeing past the first few weeks in the hospital. They are often concerned about their appearance and scarring, for example. Once they begin to rebuild their confidence, they can start to improve emotionally.

Learn more about Improving Life After Transplantation.