The Chronically Ill Child

Written by leading mental health professionals, this warm and accessible parenting book for children with chronic illnesses offers clear, practical guidance for all aspects of the journey. When you're focused on ensuring your child gets the best possible treatments for their symptoms, it's easy to overlook or dismiss the impact the illness can have on your relationships and emotions. This book places your psychological well-being front and center, so you can be the best caregiver possible for your child.

A revealing account of how families adapt to living with a chronically ill child What is it like to live with a child who has a chronic, life-threatening disease? What impact does the illness have on well siblings in the family? Myra Bluebond-Langner suggests that understanding the impact of the illness lies not in identifying deficiencies in the lives of those affected, but in appreciating how family members carry on with their lives in the face of the disease's intrusion. The Private Worlds of Dying Children, Bluebond-Langner's previous book, now considered a classic in the field, explored the world of terminally ill children. In her new book, she turns her attention to the lives of those who live in the shadow of chronic illness: the parents and well siblings of children who have cystic fibrosis. Through a series of narrative portraits, she draws us into the daily lives of nine families of children at different points in the natural history of the illness—from diagnosis through the terminal phase. In these portraits, as family members talk about their experiences in their own words, we see how parents, well siblings, and the ill children themselves struggle, in different ways, to contain the intrusion of the disease into their lives. Bluebond-Langner looks at how parents adjust their priorities and their idea of what constitutes a normal life, how they try to balance the needs of other family members while caring for the ill child, and how they see the future. This context helps us understand how well siblings view the illness and how they relate to their ill sibling and parents. Since the issues raised are not unique to cystic fibrosis but are common to other chronic and life-threatening illnesses, this book will be of interest to all who study, care for, or live with the seriously ill.

'[A] valuable addition to the literature on chronic paediatric illness... The book provides an in depth understanding of the path through chronic illness, illustrating the obvious effects on the child, but also the parents, siblings and the family as a whole across the spectrum from the psychological and social to the physical... There is much to be learnt from this book and it deserves careful reading.' - from the Foreword by Hilton Davis, Emeritus Professor of Child Health Psychology, King's College London Parents of children with chronic illnesses experience 'extreme parenting'. Parenting under extreme circumstances, like an extreme sport, challenges us to find our true strengths, to push ourselves physically and emotionally. This book is a guide and a source of support for parents of children with long-term illnesses. Sharon Dempsey argues that by helping parents to cope with their child's condition we are ultimately helping the child, and that parents are better able to live a full, enjoyable life if they have an awareness of strategies and knowledge to cope with the difficulties of dealing with their child with a chronic illness. The guide is packed with practical advice, models of exploration and lists of action points, and will empower parents to be good advocates for their children. It will also provide health professionals with invaluable insights into the demands of living with chronic illness.

A child's chronic illness creates exceptional parents. You can use some help.

Devotional meditations for parents of critically or chronically ill children.Author Jolene Philo shares lessons from her own life, as well as the stories of other parents.

All kids get sick now and then, but children who suffer from chronic illnesses don’t recover quickly from their diseases. They have to deal with being sick for long periods of time, sometimes indefinitely. Dealing with a chronic illness is no fun. Often it means staying in the hospital or at home, away from school and friends. It can also mean enduring painful medical procedures. All of this can make a chronically ill child feel sad, scared, and lonely at times. You may wonder if there is anything you can do to help. Whether you already know a person with a chronic illness or you want to make some new friends, the best gift you can give is your time. This book discusses ten different ways that you can help a child who must deal with a chronic illness. Some of the ideas are big, others are small, but all of them can make a true difference in the life of a chronically ill child.

Silver Medal for Parenting in the Independent Publishers Awards "This is an outstanding book that addresses the challenges of chronic disease in children from multiple viewpoints with a great deal of practical knowledge. Given that Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood, this work will serve to guide families in navigating the sometimes challenging journey to ensure the best possible outcomes for all." - Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer for the American Diabetes Association Written by leading mental health professionals, this warm and accessible parenting book for children with chronic illnesses offers clear, practical guidance for all aspects of the journey. When you’re focused on ensuring your child gets the best possible treatments for their symptoms, it’s easy to overlook or dismiss the impact the illness can have on your relationships and emotions. This book places your psychological well-being front and center, so you can be the best caregiver possible for your child.