Functioning of a family with a child suffering from cystic fibrosis and short bowel syndrome - case study

• Main Authors: Świerczyńska Justyna, Mazur Agnieszka, Chojnowska-Ćwiąkała Izabela, Podosek Agnieszka
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: Sciendo 2018-06-01
• Series: Current Problems of Psychiatry
• Subjects: cystic fibrosis; short bowel syndrome; functioning of the family with a sick child; attitudes towards the disease; a sick child in the family
• Online Access: http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/cpp.2018.19.issue-2/cpp-2018-0009/cpp-2018-0009.xml?format=INT

This article presents the problem of the functioning of a family with a child suffering from two painful, chronic and incurable diseases - cystic fibrosis and short bowel syndrome. Its aim is to learn about the impact of these diseases on the occurrence and course of mental disorders in a child and on the functioning of the whole family in which such a child is brought up. Like any long-term illness of a child, it has influenced changes in the functioning of the family system. The parents’ functioning and the flexibility of the family system conditioned the acceptance of the diagnosis and determined further participation of the family in the treatment process. This article also discusses the risk of unfavorable attitudes of parents towards the child’s illnesses, which may contribute to the development of mental disorders in the child patient, as well as in his/her parents or siblings. In the process of treatment and rehabilitation, the necessity for cooperation of medical staff, the patient and his/her parents has been emphasised.