For children and adolescents who have chronic conditions, self-management is super beneficial. However, children and adolescents with chronic illnesses face unique physical and emotional challenges that can make self-management difficult. Pain, treatment side effects, and fear about their condition worsening can be overwhelming. Many struggle with the complexity of their treatment plans, natural forgetfulness, or cognitive difficulties related to their condition.
Younger children may need frequent reminders, while adolescents may feel resistant to following medical instructions as they develop a sense of independence. Social pressures can also play a role, since medication routines, dietary restrictions, or visible treatments and reliance on parents can make children feel different from their peers, leading to embarrassment or avoidance.
With approximately 10% of adolescents suffering from a chronic disease that affects daily life, equipping them with the right tools and support is important to help them safely and easily achieve self-management.
In this article, we’ll explore what self-management entails, its benefits for younger patients, and how smart assistive technology like Sasha by Hark Medical can help families achieve it.
What are Self-Management and Self-Efficacy?
Self-management involves both the child and caregiver taking an active role in understanding the condition, recognising signs and symptoms, and knowing when to seek help to prevent complications. Key tasks include medication management, maintaining daily activities, and handling the emotional impact of a chronic illness.
Self-efficacy refers to a patient’s confidence in their ability to manage their condition effectively.
A helpful way to think about the relationship between self-management and self-efficacy is like learning to ride a bike. Self-management is about mastering the mechanics: understanding how to balance, pedal, and steer. Similarly, a child with a chronic illness learns how to track their medication, recognise symptoms, and take action when needed. Self-efficacy is the confidence that comes with practice: the belief that they can ride without falling. The more a child successfully manages their medication, the more they trust their ability to handle their condition independently.
Just like riding a bike, self-management often starts with support, whether from training wheels or a caregiver. Over time, as confidence grows, the child takes on more responsibility, ultimately riding, or managing their health, more independently.
Why are Self-Management and Self-Efficacy Important in Adolescents and Children with Chronic Illnesses?
Research shows that there are several benefits to self-management. It plays a crucial role in improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL), disease outcomes, symptom control, and medication adherence in children and adolescents with chronic illnesses. Plus, the earlier children are taught to manage their own treatment, the better they are able to do so as adults. Studies also show that self-management promotes independence, empowerment, family stability, and social development.
Higher self-efficacy is linked to better self-management, improved health outcomes, and greater independence. It's also important to note that those with lower self-efficacy often perceive their disease as more burdensome, making it even more important to equip paediatric patients with the right tools to develop confidence and autonomy.
Tips for Promoting Self-Management in Children and Adolescents
Encouraging self-management in children and adolescents requires a combination of education, routine-building, and positive reinforcement. Here are some practical tips to support their journey toward greater independence:
Make Medication Management Part of Their Routine – Incorporate taking medication into their daily schedule, such as alongside brushing their teeth or eating breakfast, to build consistency.
Use Visual Aids and Reminders – Charts, calendars, or medication administration aids like Sasha by Hark Medical can help children and teens keep track of their treatment plans and feel in control.
Encourage Open Conversations – Talk to children about their condition and why managing it is important. Address any fears or resistance they may have and encourage them to ask questions.
Gradually Increase Responsibility – Start with small tasks like reminding them to take their medication, then progress them to managing their own doses with safe technology, building confidence over time.
Leverage Technology – Smart medication management devices like Sasha provide structured reminders, safe access, and monitoring features, making self-management easier and more effective.
Acknowledge and Reward Progress – Positive reinforcement, such as praise or small incentives, can motivate children to stay consistent with their treatment plan.
Involve Their Support Network – Teachers, caregivers, and friends can play a role in encouraging adherence and providing additional support when needed.
What is Sasha?
Sasha is a medication management device with a connected app that is designed to simplify medication routines and make them safer.
Sasha stores medication in pharmacist-packed medication sachets and alerts the user when it’s time for a dose. A simple fingerprint scan unlocks Sasha, which then releases the right dose at the right time.
Sasha tracks and reports medication events, sharing this information through a connected app that caregivers, patients, or school staff can access.
Ultimately. Sasha helps ensure medication is taken on time while minimising risks associated with missed doses or incorrect administration.
How Can Sasha Help with Medication Self-Management for Kids?
Traditional pill organisers for kids can be difficult to open. Plus, human error can occur when organising or taking medication, leading to missed or incorrect doses. Sasha eases these concerns by automating the process, reducing manual handling, and supporting a seamless medication routine.
Sasha is flexible and suits different paediatric use cases:
Self-Administered Medication: For children and adolescents who can independently manage their scheduled medication doses. This could apply to conditions like epilepsy or depression.
PRN Self-Administered Medication: For as-needed medications, such as anxiety or sleep aids, Sasha ensures safe access within pre-set limits, preventing overuse.
Children and adolescents can monitor their own adherence data through our connected app, helping them feel a sense of ownership and confidence in managing their condition.
By automating medication management for kids, Sasha promotes independence and self-efficacy, while minimising the burden on parents and caregivers. It ensures routines are safe, efficient, and compliant with regulatory standards.
For younger children or those on controlled medications, Sasha can still make medication routines more safe and efficient. Parents or caregivers can administer the doses, while Sasha provides alerts that help children understand their routine and build medication awareness over time. In paediatrics, it’s recognised that self-management approaches should be shared management between the youth and the parent(s) and/or caregiver(s).
Conclusion
Developing strong self-management and self-efficacy skills provides children with a range of benefits, including:
Improved health-related quality of life.
Better disease-related outcomes.
Increased medication adherence.
Encourages an active role in their health care.
Better self-management in adulthood.
While self-management and self-efficacy are incredibly important, so is safety. When approaching medication management, it’s important that children and adolescents have the tools to manage their routines safely. With Sasha, the manual processes that increase risk are taken care of, allowing all participants to focus on what’s important – their health and well-being.
Want to Learn More About Sasha?
If you have a child or adolescent with a chronic condition and want to see how Sasha can support their medication self-management and build confidence, our team is here to help. Sasha is also a great fit for boarding schools and other care environments.
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