Parental effects from participation in an intensified multimodal programme of habilitation for children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect on parents of participating in an intensified multimodal programme of habilitation for preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Thirteen preschool children with CP, and their parents attended four in-patient sessions during the programme period of one-and-a-half years. During each group session, the parents were given lessons in coping strategies and positive adaptation. A group of six CP children receiving traditional follow-up habilitation services and their parents were used as controls. Parental effects were evaluated with Parental Stress Index (PSI) and Life Orientation Test (LOT). Results: Mothers in the intervention group had reduced scores below clinical level on both domains of PSI and an increase in LOT score after the intervention period. No changes in scores were seen for fathers or parents in the control group. Conclusions: The intervention programme seemed to reduce stress and increase optimism among mothers of participating CP children.

Young Adults’ Experience of Living with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

“…They also have strong concerns about the child's condition and its unpredictable development, and this even overshadows their own disease-related concerns. The results corresponds well with other findings which show that the child's condition has an impact on parents' and especially mothers' psychological and physical health, whether the child has NF1 (Ablon 1999;Reiter-Purtill et al 2008;Sebold et al 2004) or other chronic conditions (Lerdal et al 2011;Raina et al 2005;Wallander and Varni 1998). The concerns expressed particularly by the two fathers in our study are related to being good role models and to providing positive experiences for their children.…”

“…The importance of good family function for the ability of both parents and children to cope with illness is generally well known, and many studies have recommended family-centred interventions of various kinds (Campbell and Patterson 1995;Lerdal et al 2011;Raina et al 2005). Evidently, families where both a parent and a child have NF1 face considerable challenges and may need information, counselling, and practical support, preferably offered early after a child is born.…”