Psychological impact of cancer and its treatment.III. The adaptation of mothers to the threatened loss of their children through leukemia: Part II

Response to Suffering of the Seriously Ill Child: A History of Palliative Care for Children

“…Instead, clinicians initially focused narrowly on anxiety. In 1955, Bozeman, Sutherland, and Orbach 8,9 published 1 of the earliest psychological studies of dying children. This 2-part series was focused primarily on the anxiety of mothers but also reported observations of the children's experiences:…”

Child hospitalization: the effects on well siblings and parents

“…Instead of taking the primary caretaking responsibilities away from the parents, Hardgrove and Rutledge (1975) described a program at the Moffit Hospital in San Francisco where parents helped monitor TVs and are encouraged to stay with their child, measure calories, weigh diapers, and feed their child along with other tasks. In other studies, mothers found the nursing role consistent with their past caregiving experiences and wanted to participate in the hospital care of their child which helped allay feelings of guilt (Friedman et al, 1963;Orbach et al, 1955). If the medical staff views parents as an integral part of the treatment team, parents feel more useful.…”

“…Medical technology has made progress in the treat ment of the seriously ill patient; however, the technology has led to increased depersonalization and mechanization (Irwin & Lloyd-Still, 1974). Orbach et al (1955), in an early study, suggested that helping a family cope with a child diagnosed with a serious disease often requires the service of a team comprised of diverse disciplines. Evans and Edin (1968) suggested a multidisciplinary approach.…”