Mothers’ Reflections on Raising a Child with a Craniofacial Anomaly

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a qualitative evaluation of parenting among families with school-aged and young adolescent children with craniofacial anomalies (CFAs). Methods: Interview responses were obtained from nine mothers of children ages 9 to 14 years old with CFAs. Mothers were asked to describe their perceptions of their children, their children's special needs because of CFAs, and their parenting strategies. Narratives were coded into categories, including maternal concerns and worries, children's strengths, proactive maternal behaviors, and role of CFAs in the families’ lives. Results and Conclusions: Mothers’ responses indicated concern and protectiveness because of the challenges of having a CFA, as well as parenting strategies intended to promote autonomy and positive social and emotional adjustment.