Fears and anxiety in children with long-QT syndrome compared to children with asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To compare children with asthma to children with long-QT syndrome (LQTS) in terms of anxiety and medical fears.


METHODS
Forty children (25 males/15 females) with asthma and their mothers participated, along with seven children with LQTS (four males/three females) and their mothers.


RESULTS
Children with asthma had significantly more medical fears, fear of danger/death, and fear of minor injury and small animals compared to children with LQTS. Children with LQTS tended to have more fear of failure and criticism, and tended to keep their feelings to themselves and minimize their real feelings of anxiety. Children with LQTS had significantly more internalizing problems, and their mothers had significantly higher anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
Fear and uncertainty can be overwhelming in LQTS. Children with LQTS do not seem to be able to share their feelings openly. Examining the psychosocial adjustment of affected children may assist professionals to help families to cope more effectively.
Giuffre
R Michael
RM
Department of Pediatrics, the Alberta Children's Hospital, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Gupta
Swapna
S
Crawford
Susan G
SG
Leung
Alexander K C
AK
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D004644:Emotions; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires