The Impact of Child Congenital Heart Disease on Parents of Very Young Children: Considerations for Social Work Practice

Abstract

As with other chronic illnesses, parents of very young children with congenital heart disease (CHD) experience stress related to the management of a child's illness. However, limited research is available that examines how CHD impacts parents. Medical social workers providing services to this population must have information on the internal and external stressors experienced in raising a child with CHD. This article identifies those stressors and provides an overview of concepts from various theories, including stress and coping, family systems, and chronic sorrow, that highlight the needs and challenges of parents raising a very young child with CHD. The article concludes with implications for practice, social work education, and research.