Children with Oesophageal Atresia : A Biopsychosocial Follow up Study

Oesophageal atresia is a common congenital anomaly, embracing a clinically heterogeneous group of patients concerning seriousness of the medical condition, additional malformations and complications. Increased risk for psychosocial problems among children with oesophageal atresia has been reported. However, this has not been studied with valid and reliable methods among infants and adolescents. This thesis explores physical problems, mental health, mother-infant interaction and other psychosocial factors in children with oesophageal atresia. The material on which the thesis is based comprised children operated during the neonatal period at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway, in 1999-2002 and 1986-1990. These two populations were studied by age 13 months (infants) and 13 years (adolescents). The assessments were based on self-reports, interviews, professional observations and videotaped interactions. The results illuminate concerns related to emotional problems in children with oesophageal atresia, and may help clinicians to identify children at risk

Mental health as perceived by Norwegian adolescents living with parental somatic illness: Living in an earthquake zone

Purpose - Severe parental somatic illnesses can influence the entire family, including adolescents’ everyday life, psychosocial functioning and health. Within salutogenesis, it is highlighted that stressor life events, such as parental somatic illness, might lead to a chain of events that can produce tension. There is a lack of in-depth understanding regarding how adolescents living in a situation with a severely somatically ill parent (SIP) perceive their own mental health. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the lived experience of Norwegian adolescents living with an SIP, and their perception of the parental illness’ influence on their mental health. Methods - Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 adolescents (aged 13–18 years) who had an SIP. Two adolescents with an SIP participated in study preparation and data analysis. Results - Adolescents perceived parental somatic illness as a multifaceted influence on their mental health as it represented both personal and relational strain and growth. Their perceptions can be conceptualized by the super-ordinate theme “living in an earthquake zone”, and by two themes, “inner shakes—but not falling apart” and “relational aftershocks—gains and losses”. Conclusion - For adolescents, parental somatic illness means personal and relational strain and growth

Mental health promotion as perceived by Norwegian adolescents with somatically ill parents – an interpretative phenomenological analysis

ABSTRACTObjective Having a somatically ill parent can influence adolescents’ daily lives and mental health. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of mental health promotion among adolescents with a somatically ill parent, based on a salutogenic orientation.Methods Individual interviews with 11 adolescents (13–18 years of age) with a somatically ill parent were conducted. The data were analysed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results A superordinate theme, feeling at home in a house of mental health–promoting conversations, frames the participants’ perceptions of a prominent mental health promotion experience, including decisive characteristics of the significant conversation partners and different important conversation contexts. The metaphor of feeling at home expresses that the participants ascribe the conversations taking place there as promoting mental health. The themes elucidate the superordinate theme: (a) significant conversation partners characterised by the three subthemes: (i) being available, (ii) being competent and (iii) being caring and (b) rooms reflecting conversation contexts containing four subthemes: (i) room of increased knowledge, (ii) room of disclosure, (iii) room for meeting points and (iv) room for breaks.Conclusion Adolescents with a somatically ill parent perceived that conversations about important topics with significant others with special characteristics in distinct contexts promoted mental health

Mental health as perceived by Norwegian adolescents living with parental somatic illness: Living in an earthquake zone

Purpose: Severe parental somatic illnesses can influence the entire family, including adolescents’ everyday life, psychosocial functioning and health. Within salutogenesis, it is highlighted that stressor life events, such as parental somatic illness, might lead to a chain of events that can produce tension. There is a lack of in-depth understanding regarding how adolescents living in a situation with a severely somatically ill parent (SIP) perceive their own mental health. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the lived experience of Norwegian adolescents living with an SIP, and their perception of the parental illness’ influence on their mental health. Methods: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 adolescents (aged 13–18 years) who had an SIP. Two adolescents with an SIP participated in study preparation and data analysis. Results: Adolescents perceived parental somatic illness as a multifaceted influence on their mental health as it represented both personal and relational strain and growth. Their perceptions can be conceptualized by the super-ordinate theme “living in an earthquake zone”, and by two themes, “inner shakes—but not falling apart” and “relational aftershocks— gains and losses”. Conclusion: For adolescents, parental somatic illness means personal and relational strain and growth

Impaired motor performance in adolescents with esophageal atresia

Aims The study prospectively assessed motor development from infancy to adolescence in patients with esophageal atresia (EA). Methods At one year of age motor performance was evaluated with the Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition (BSID-II), and as adolescents reevaluated with Motor Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (MABC-2). Associations to clinical factors were assessed. Results 23 EA patients were followed from infancy to adolescence. The median total PDI score in infancy was 102 (56–118) and the corresponding mean z-score was −0.006 (SD 0.995) and not significantly different from the reference values (p = 0.48). The median total MABC-2 score in adolescence was 75 (32–93) and the corresponding mean z-score −0.43 (SD 0.998) which is significantly below normal (p = 0.03). Children with impaired motor function in adolescence underwent significantly more rethoracotomies than those with normal motor performance (p = 0.037); whereas the two groups did not differ with respect to other clinical characteristics. Conclusion From infancy to adolescence the motor performance in the group of EA patients deteriorated from within normal range to significantly impaired compared to reference values. Interdisciplinary follow-up programs from infancy to adolescence with close monitoring for motor function is necessary to detect motor impairments

‘I have cried a lot’: a qualitative study on children experiencing severe parental illness

Background A considerable body of research has explored implications of severe parental illness on children. However, less is known about what children and adolescents with a severely ill parent experience as the most challenging. Aims To describe what children with a severely ill parent experience as their most difficult challenge. Methods A qualitative descriptive design with a manifest content analysis was used on data from a cross‐sectional, multicenter study on children of patients in five Norwegian Health trusts. Data consisted of written textual responds from 238 children (age 8–18) to one open‐ended question in a self‐report questionnaire. Results The overall theme concerning the children’s most difficult challenge was named ‘the drama of life unfoldment’, reflecting the parental illness’ impact on themselves, their relationships with others, and their life circumstances. The subthemes consisted of: Children’s experiences of difficult thoughts and feelings; negatively impaired relationship with parents, friends and others; and challenging life events and obstacles in welfare. Conclusions The most difficult challenge experienced by the children with a severely ill parent implies life unfoldment challenges and include negative personal and relational impact, challenging life events and obstacles in welfare