This was an exploratory-descriptive study of fifty children afflicted with myelomeningocele, ages one through six, who were known to the Myelomeningocele Clinic of the Crippled Children IS Division. The study identified the degree of multiple physical, emotional, and environmental stre ss factors that families must be prepared to cope with.The study identified eleven factors felt to play an important role in family dynamics and how they related to the families response to their child with myelomeningocele. The factors were tested and found to be valid by the use of a pre -te st on ten case records. Hies were found to have additional stressful problem.s to cope with e. g., m.arital stress, sibling rivalry, additional ill m.em.bers, etc.Added to this was the inform.ation that the child with m.yelo m.eningocele was found to be greatly involved in a m.ultiplicity of m.edical problem.s at m.any different levels of functioning. e. g. , orthopedic, bowel. neurosurgical, etc., that would be expected to add to the already stressful fam.ily dynam.ics.Am.ong the recom.m.endations developed was a plea for the ex pansion of the satellite clinic concept, developm.ent of parent groups on a geographical basis, developm.ent of educational program.s for educators and community service personnel, brief orientation pro grams for parents with the goal of helping them understand and inte grate the health care system that they find themselves in.
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