Changing bodies: A scoping review and thematic analysis of family experience during serious childhood illness

Abstract

This scoping review has investigated experiences of children and parents encountering in-patient treatment for serious childhood illness, including current or potential use of technology as a support mechanism. The research questions were 1. What do children experience during illness and treatment? 2. What do parents experience when their child is seriously ill in hospital? 3. What tech and non-tech interventions support children’s experience of in-patient care? The research team identified n = 22 relevant studies for review through JSTOR, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Science Direct. A thematic analysis of reviewed studies identified three key themes reflecting our research questions: Children in hospital, Parents and their children, and Information and technology. Our findings reflect that information giving, kindness and play are central in hospital experiences. Parent and child needs in hospital are interwoven and under researched. Children reveal themselves as active producers of pseudo-safe spaces who continue to prioritise normal child and adolescent experiences during in-patient care.