Abstract
Background
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological disorders that appear in early childhood and permanently affect body movements and muscle coordination. It is caused by a brain injury during development. This neurological disorder in children has an effect on the quality of life, restricts participation in peer activities, and impedes normal growth and development. Caring for and raising children with CP can have an economic burden on parents/caregivers affected families, the healthcare system, and the economy. The economic burden of CP may add to caregivers’/parents’ difficulties in finding the appropriate health services for children with CP.
Methods
This study aims to explore the socio-economic challenges experienced by parents of children with cerebral palsy at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design among 68 participants who are mostly married women and parents of children with cerebral palsy. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and descriptive data analysis was used to analyze the data. The respondents were aged between 11–20 to 31–40.
Results
Nearly 80% of the respondents indicated that children with cerebral palsy are a burden to them and face difficulties communicating with their children. Furthermore, 78.4% of the respondents indicated that their child's situation affects their mental health. There is no association between monthly income and the perception of children with CP as a burden.
Conclusion
Caring for children with cerebral palsy is challenging and has a significant negative impact on family, social, and financial resources, particularly in resource-poor countries like Nigeria with little or no social support system. The findings from this study have important implications for the practice of public health in Nigeria. The state government needs to provide support systems and take measures to assist parents of children with developmental disabilities. The findings from this study can be translated to the national level for effective program implementation in relation to cerebral palsy support.