title: The adaptation of children to spinal cord injury of a family member: the individual's perspective.
abstract: The importance of family involvement in spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation is well-documented, but little is known about the needs of children in these families. This study surveyed persons with SCI at a national rehabilitation center to establish the number who had close relatives who were children, gain their views on facilities available for visiting children, and determine the impact of SCI on children. Thirty-two inpatients provided details of any close relatives who were children, and 17 participants supplied further information in a semi-structured interview. Twenty-six participants (81%) had close relatives under age 18, for a total of 88 children. Most children had visited participants at the centre, but levels of satisfaction with facilities were low. Participants also commented on children's understanding of SCI and coping strategies. The results suggest that rehabilitation teams could consider children's needs more fully, provide appropriate physical facilities, and facilitate understanding and emotional adjustment of children.
authors.affiliation: National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Guinevere
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hindson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014789:Visitors to Patients