[Parental guilt experience in diseases of their children]

Parents of sick or handicapped children often exhibit strong guilt feelings. These can be justified but equally can be irrational, based on magic, prescientific thinking. However, quite often they have an emotionally stabilising function for the parents. Using clinical examples possible reasons for, and the importance of these parental guilt feelings in coping with the disease are analysed. Suggestions for dealing with these guilt feelings in a differentiated manner are formulated.