Unseen? A qualitative study on how mothers and fathers living with a visual impairment experience parenthood

It is barely taken into account that a visually impaired child might one day become a parent. Research on the insider perspectives of parents on parenting with a visual impairment is scarce. This exploratory study reports on how six mothers and seven fathers living with a visual impairment experience parenthood. An individual or paired open interview, followed by qualitative content analysis, captured their multi-layered and personal lived experiences on parenting. Analysis of the data collected revealed three themes: the actual practices of daily parenting as an exploration of a personal and unique toolbox for each parent; a parental urge to prove themselves to overcome extra doubts, pressure and othering; and the relational work of parents with their partner and child(ren).

Nutritional evaluation of the neurologically impaired child

Nutrition is of key importance in optimizing function and health in children with neurological impairment. Challenges in quantifying individual needs and assessing nutritional status are barriers to determining the nutritional prescription. This practice point addresses common questions faced by clinicians caring for this population and uses available evidence to provide strategies to address these challenges.

The Withdrawn Child

The evaluation of pain in the neurologically impaired child can be difficult. Many of these children are unable to vocalize their symptoms and may instead exhibit a wide range of behaviors to indicate their discomfort. Pain occurs more frequently and at higher intensity for these children both because they are at risk for certain problems that are uncommon in typical childhood and because they can experience prolongation of symptoms due to challenges in locating the source. For many children within this population, a cause is not identified, and empiric medication trials and nonpharmacologic measures are utilized. This chapter presents a broad differential for suspected pain in the neurologically impaired child and discusses a range of interventions and therapies to consider.

School experience of the child and adolescent with visual impairment: family experience

ABSTRACT Objective: to understand the experience of families about school experiences of children and adolescents with visual impairment. Method: a qualitative study developed through the Symbolic Interactionism and narrative research. Data were collected through a semi-structured recorded interview, with eleven families of children/adolescents with visual impairment, totaling 40 participants. Results: two phenomena emerged: “exclusion context” and “impaired school performance”. Prejudice experienced at school brings devastating consequences to the life of the visually impaired child/adolescent and his family. Isolation occurs, difficulty adapting to the support resource and deficits in school performance. Final considerations: production contributes to awakening professionals involved with the assistance of these people. Effective participation of health professionals in this area is required to develop actions with students, teachers and families, aimed at meeting the needs of learning and health promotion, inclusion, and respect for differences.

Dental aspects of hearing impairment in children – aetiology, classifications, diagnostic programmes, rehabilitation. A literature review

A literature review was performed to present the epidemiology of hearing impairment both worldwide and in Poland. Pre-and postnatal risk factors were assessed. The paper presents classifications of hearing impairment considering different factors, as well as the method of neonatal hearing screening in Poland. Diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation methods for patients with hearing loss were described. The paper further describes oral health in deaf and hardly hearing children in Poland and worldwide, as well as implications of hearing impairment on the masticatory organ. Several factors, such as insufficient hygiene, contribute to high caries frequency and gingivitis in children with hearing impairment. Missing or malformed teeth and malocclusions pose a great challenge for dentists. Furthermore, the work draws attention to the psychological aspect of the development of children with hearing impairment. The communication barrier during a dental visit attended by a hearing-impaired child, as well as the need for appropriate training for medical personnel, which could contribute to improved oral health, are emphasised.