Chronic illness: the importance of support for families caring for a child with cystic fibrosis

The effect of chronic life-threatening illness on the family is one of the major problems confronting the health-care system today. Increasingly, parents have the major responsibility for the daily management of their child's condition. There is evidence that many parents lack the professional help and support which could ameliorate some of their problems. It is important that nurses have an understanding of how families cope with the burden of caring for a chronically ill child. Health professionals need clear guidelines on how to support these families in their role as primary care-givers. This paper examines how families of children with cystic fibrosis adapt to the illness in order to provide indicators for nursing practice and to enhance the care and support provided for these families. Effective coping strategies include: assigning meaning to the illness, sharing the burden, denial of diagnosis and incorporating therapy in a schedule.