The impact of orthopedic surgery on parents of children affected by cerebral palsy: a preliminary study in Greece

Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a serious disorder with an important impact not only on the affected person but also on parents and the entire family. CP children often undergo surgery with long stay hospitalization. Aim: The aim of the study was to highlight the impact of orthopedic surgery on parents of children affected by cerebral palsy in Greece. Materials and methods: The semi-structured interviews of 80 parents (40 fathers and 40 mothers) of nuclear and intact families were collected. All parents were of Greek nationality, belonged to the middle socio-economic class and had at least one child affected by CP candidate to orthopedic surgery. Results: The majority of parents’ perception was that CP is a condition requiring special education, need for specialized services and a medical problem that affects the entire family. Their expectations after orthopedic surgery were focused mainly on child’s healing and hope to have a “healthy” child, while expectations from future surgery were focused on improving child’s quality of life, movement and gait. Conclusions: Parents of CP children have different perceptions of the clinical condition and a variety of expectations about orthopedic surgery and its outcomes.