"It's not who I am": Children's experiences of growing up with a long-term condition in England, Australia, and New Zealand

The experiences and perceptions of healthy siblings of children with a long-term condition: Umbrella review

PROBLEM

The lives of healthy siblings living with a sibling with a long- term condition are often shaped by the family, type of illness, length of illness, age of the child, caregiver demands, and support provided to the family, ill sibling, and healthy sibling. While the experiences of healthy siblings are documented in the literature by parent proxy, literature on healthy siblings self-reported experiences of living with a sibling who has a long-term condition remains scarce.

PURPOSE

This umbrella review aims to synthesize reviews on the self-reported experiences of healthy siblings of children living with a sibling who has a long-term condition.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Published peer-reviewed reviews in English language exploring the self-reported experiences of healthy siblings under 24 years old, whose siblings are diagnosed with a long-term condition.

SAMPLE

Using a developed search strategy, seven electronic databases (CINAHLPlus, Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Clinical Key, and Google Scholar) were searched from 2018 till December 2023. Eleven reviews met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Four themes (adjusting to changes, wanting to help, living the ups and downs, living the changes), and eight subthemes were generated from the syntheses.

CONCLUSION

This is the first umbrella review undertaken on healthy siblings self-reported experiences of living with a sibling who has a long-term condition. The impact of a long-term condition on healthy siblings of children with a long-term condition suggests a need for healthcare providers and organisations to provide better emotional, psychological, and informational support to healthy siblings and their families.

IMPLICATIONS

Findings from this review will inform healthcare providers, organisations, researchers, and policymakers on the development of future clinical practices and research for healthy siblings.

Socio-emotional repercussions of severe haemophilia A in the daily lives of children

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Haemophilia A, in its most severe form, can have serious repercussions, including issues that are physical, emotional, affective, and social, particularly in childhood. This qualitative study aims to understand the socio-emotional repercussions of severe haemophilia A in children, based on their own testimonies and subjective expressions of their daily lives, in the contexts of the family, school and health service.

METHODS

Individual qualitative interviews were carried out using a playful approach through puppets with 15 children, aged 6-12 years old, in a service for the treatment of haemophilia, located in the northeast of Brazil. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes were elaborated: (a) Reflecting how I am and how I relate to others; (b) Enjoying family moments; (c) Experiencing the school context: learning, affectivity and play; and (d) Dealing with haemophilia: acceptance and overcoming strategies.

CONCLUSION

The experiences shared by children with severe haemophilia A and their daily needs should be the basis for guiding child-centred care. Encouraging self-care, including self-administration of the deficient factor, requires a partnership between health professionals, family members, school and child in the construction of therapeutic plans that consider the child's active participation.