Family Involvement in Pediatric Dialysis and Transplantation

Abstract

Family cooperation is urgently needed when children require frequent hospital visits, special diets, medication, and, for some, kidney transplants

Child hospitalization: the effects on well siblings and parents

“…Most mothers (62.5%) and fathers (62.5%) perceived their well siblings would think about getting sick and possibly going to the hospital the same as always; however, most well siblings reported that they thought about it more (48.3%) while others reported they thought about it the same (31.0%). Even though most of the literature is based on well siblings of hospitalized children who have serious illnesses, the literature seems consistent with the present finding that it is common for the well siblings to think about and possibly fear catching the hospitalized child's illness (Singer, 1973;Binger et al, 1969;Feinberg, 1970;Johnson et al, 1979;Kagen-Goodheart, 1977;Kaplan et al, 1973;Koocher & O'Malley, 1981;McCollum, 1981;Morse, 1974;Patterson, 1973;Toch, 1974;Travis, 1978).…”

“…Siblings of children with other Illness. Morse (1974) found in siblings of children needing renal dialysis and transplants that they, too, are concerned with all the attention parents give the sick child or fear they may also become sick. Cleveland (1980) , in her study of traumatic spinal cord injury, found that when the injured child returned home, an older sibling generally took the interpreter role between the injured and the family.…”

“…These include traveling long distances to treatment centers and finding accommodations, transporta tion, and babysitters. Morse (1974), too, discovered that the difficulty of transportation to the hospital for pediatric dialysis disrupted family life.…”

“…Traveling to and from the hospital can be a problem and leave parents tired Basson, 1970;Kagen-Goodheart, 1977;Morse, 1974). In the present study, 38.7% of the children said traveling to and from the hospital was a large or medium problem while 50.0% of the mothers and 37.6% of the fathers reported traveling to and from the hospital as a large or medium problem.…”

“…There seems to be some disagreement in the literature concerning the affection issue. Morse (1974), studying families involved in pediatric dialysis, found that families with close ties were brought closer together while divided families were torn farther apart by a medical crises. Lltman (1971) concluded with similar findings showing that even though the hospitalization of one family member may cause disruption, an equal number of subjects said the illness either made family relationships more diffi cult or drew the family closer together.…”