TO WHAT EXTENT DOES A CHILD’S CHRONIC ILLNESS INFLUENCE PARENTAL STRESS?

Abstract

A CHRONIC ILLNESS IS A PROLONGED CONDITION (3 MONTHS+) THAT IS RARELY COMPLETELY CURED OR RESOLVED SPONTANEOUSLY (DOWRICK ET AL., 2005) AND IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH GLOBALLY (YACH ET AL., 2004). RESEARCH SUGGESTS UP TO 51.5 PER CENT OF CHILDREN WILL BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE HAD A CHRONIC ILLNESS AT SOME POINT BEFORE THE AGE OF 14 AND THIS FIGURE IS INCREASING EACH YEAR (CLEAVE ET AL., 2010), WITH THE MOST COMMON CONDITIONS BEING ASTHMA, DIABETES, EPILEPSY AND CANCER (NEWACHECK & STODDARD, 1994).