title: The experience of being ill as narrated by hospitalized children aged 7-10 years with short-term illness.
abstract: Children's illness has been investigated through the eyes of parents and nurses but the child's own perspective has been largely ignored. The aim of this study is to illuminate the 7-10-year-olds' experiences of being ill. Three girls and four boys were interviewed and narrated their experience about short-term illness. The data obtained was subjected to a thematic qualitative content analysis. The analysis suggests that the children combined reality and imagination and contrasts seemed to coexist such as being scared/confident, sad/cosy and hurt/having fun. They felt caught and tried to escape. The experience of illness as narrated by children can lead to a richer understanding and influence the way we care for paediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Umea, Sweden. maria.forsner@vll.se
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forsner
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: Venke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sørlie
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D002666:Psychology, Child; D036301:Qualitative Research; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden