children s health issues
Chronic Health Problems in Children
Effects on parents and other family members
Chronic illness of a child places enormous psychological, financial, emotional, and physical burdens on parents. Sometimes the parents become closer by working together to overcome these burdens. However, often the burdens can strain the relationship. Parents may feel guilty about the illness, particularly if it is genetic, resulted from complications during pregnancy, or was caused by an accident (such as a motor vehicle collision), or a behavior of a parent (such as smoking). In addition, medical care can be expensive and can cause the parents to miss work. Sometimes one parent assumes the burden of the care, which can lead to feelings of resentment in the caregiving parent or feelings of isolation in the other. Parents may feel angry with health care professionals, themselves, each other, or the child. Parents may also be in denial about the severity of their child's condition. The emotional distress involved in providing care can also make it difficult to form a deep attachment to a child who is disabled or seriously ill. Parents who spend a lot of time with a child with a chronic illness often have less time to devote to other children in the family. Siblings may resent the extra attention the child receives and then feel guilty for feeling that way. The child who is sick may feel guilty about hurting or burdening the family. Parents may be too lenient with the child, or they may enforce discipline inconsistently, particularly if the symptoms come and go. Although a child's illness is always stressful for the entire family, there are several steps a parent can take to help lessen the impact. Parents should learn as much as possible about their child's medical condition from reliable sources, such as the child's doctors and reliable medical resources. Information obtained from some internet sources is not always accurate, and parents should check with their doctors about the information they read. Doctors can often refer parents to a support group or another family that has already faced similar issues and can provide information and emotional support. Parents may spend more time or be more lenient with a child with a chronic illness than with siblings, who may then become resentful and feel guilty about their resentment. 