Siblings' experience during pediatric intensive care hospitalization

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care
• Child psychology
• Family studies

Background:

• The impact of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) visitation on siblings is not well understood.
• Siblings of critically ill children face unique emotional and psychological challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and describe the experiences of children aged 9-17 who visit their acutely ill or injured siblings in the PICU.
• To identify stressors and coping mechanisms employed by siblings during PICU visitation.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing one-to-one interviews with 16 siblings (mean age 12.5 years).
• Thematic analysis was applied to understand the lived experiences of siblings during PICU visits.

Main Results:

• Siblings reported negative reactions to visiting their critically ill brother or sister in the PICU.
• Key stressors included the PICU environment, the ill child's appearance, uncertainty, and parental stress.
• Siblings utilized coping strategies such as distractions, social support, spirituality, and reflection on their relationship.

Conclusions:

• Sibling visitation in the PICU can elicit a wide spectrum of physical, emotional, and social responses.
• Future interventions should prioritize the sibling perspective to address the potential distress associated with PICU visitation.