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Effects of childhood chronic illness on families
1School of Social Work, Marywood College, Scranton, PA 18411.
Insights
Children with seizure disorders face developmental risks. Family dynamics and perceptions are significantly impacted by the chronic illness, highlighting the need for holistic family support.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Family Studies
Background:
- Children with seizure disorders may experience developmental challenges.
- Chronic childhood illnesses impact family functioning and sibling relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine intellectual ability, academic performance, behavior, and social perceptions in children with seizure disorders and their siblings.
- To understand the family's holistic response to childhood chronic illness.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of children with seizure disorders and their non-affected siblings.
- Assessment of intellectual ability, academic performance, behavior, and social perceptions.
- Evaluation of parental and child perceptions of the home environment.
Main Results:
- Children with seizure disorders are at risk for developmental lag.
- Family impact differentiated sibling pairs in tasks and parental feelings.
- Children's perception of the home environment differed significantly from parental reports.
Conclusions:
- Chronic illness affects the entire family system, supporting a holistic view in social work.
- Families with a child with a handicapping condition require secondary preventive approaches.
- Addressing the psychosocial needs of the entire family is crucial for child well-being.
Abstract:
This study examined the intellectual ability, academic performance, behavior, and social perceptions of children with a seizure disorder and their nonafflicted siblings. These data suggest the children are at risk for developmental lag and related problems. Impact of the illness on the family differentiated the sibling pair on many tasks and on parents' feelings towards their children. Although parents reported providing a normal environment for their children, the children reported their perceptions of the home environment to be further from the (population norm) than their parents. These results provide evidence for the whole family being affected by the chronic illness thus supporting social work's inherent holistic view. It also underscores the need for a secondary preventive approach with all families containing a child with a handicapping condition.