title: Experiences of Parents Caring for Infants with Rare Scalp Mass as Identified through a Disease-Specific Blog.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Delayed subaponeurotic fluid collection (DSFC) is a self-limited disorder of unknown etiology characterized by a benign, fluid-filled mass in the subaponeurotic layer of an infant's scalp. While a few case series describe DSFC, the experiences of families whose infants develop this condition have not previously been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a disease-specific blog to evaluate the experiences of 69 families affected by DSFC. We identified self-reported clinical features of DSFC and qualitatively analyzed the families' experiences with obtaining a diagnosis and care for their infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants presented in several clinical settings, and multiple diagnostic procedures were administered, including ultrasound (46%), computed tomography (30%), and head radiography (22%). Qualitative themes emerged: lack of provider awareness of DSFC, concern about potentially harmful diagnostic procedures, suspicion of child abuse, and the importance of the website in providing support to families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though DSFC can be diagnosed clinically and its natural history is benign, its presence can be emotionally draining for parents. Physicians should be aware of this clinical entity to rapidly allay parental distress and avoid unnecessary procedures. Disease-specific blogs can help providers learn about rare diseases, contain useful clinical information for research, and can benefit patient care by providing social support for families.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Health Science and Recreation, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA (MW, THL); the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles (TRB); and the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco (NG). miranda.worthen@sjsu.edu.
authors.forename: Miranda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Worthen
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Health Science and Recreation, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA (MW, THL); the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles (TRB); and the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco (NG).
authors.forename: Tara H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Health Science and Recreation, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA (MW, THL); the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles (TRB); and the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco (NG).
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Health Science and Recreation, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA (MW, THL); the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles (TRB); and the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco (NG).
authors.forename: Nalin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065634:Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D012535:Scalp; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Infant Development; Parenting; Qualitative Research; Scalp; Social Media