Christmas and the Chronically Ill Child

By Jody Smith HERWriter

Rate This

your chronically ill child at Christmas time

MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin

At any time of the year, parents of a child with a chronic illness have plenty on their plate as they deal with the limitations and extra needs that impact their child's life. There are medical appointments and treatments, possible hospitalization to contend with.

When there are other healthy children in the family the juggling gets more complicated. The sick child needs special care, but the other children must not be pushed into the margins of the household.

Christmas intensifies these dynamics for all concerned.

A parent can feel helpless, even while they do their utmost to make life easier for their sick child. Often a chronically ill child will not have a broad base of support from friends or connections to social activities.

Loneliness can be a very real problem, for the child and for the parents as they struggle to care for their offspring.

Do you have a child with a chronic illness? Don't be reluctant to reach out for help and support from friends, family and organizations.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 percent of American families have a chronically ill child who has special needs. You are not alone.

When a child's condition is chronic it is not surprising if you feel a sense of helplessness, or pessimism that things will never improve. Such a situation can be heartbreaking.

It is helpful to be able to express your feelings, even -- and perhaps especially -- the negative ones. You may feel sad, angry, afraid, resentful, or be in denial about this situation.

You are not being selfish or rejecting of your child if you have feelings of grief over what amounts to a loss in your life, for your child.

Talking with someone who is supportive can help you work through these feelings and move on to be able to deal constructively with the situation you and your family face.

If you can talk openly with your spouse, by all means do so. If that isn't possible, but you have a friend or family member you can talk to, make use of this relationship. There are many organizations that offer counseling and support for parents with a chronically ill child.

Wondering what you can give your sick child for Christmas? So many things that would be great gifts for a healthy child are inappropriate or useless to a child who is chronically ill.

Video games can be great Christmas presents for a child who is chronically ill.

According to a study by the University of Utah, playing video games can be helpful for children with chronic conditions like autism, depression and asthma.

For the child whose life is restricted by a chronic disease, chances are the reward system of their brain has not gotten much of a workout in awhile. Researchers concluded that video games can affect neuronal mechanisms in a way that results in positive emotions.

Video games can give a child an outlet for their aggressions and frustrations. The supreme boredom that often accompanies a chronic condition can be relieved by the game and may help the child relax.

Video games can provide relief from physical as well as emotional pain as the child is distracted by the virtual world of the game.

I can personally attest to the fact that my child who has chronic fatigue syndrome has found life to be more palatable due to his video games.

Chronic illness is always a difficult thing to live with. Stressors always seem to become more intense during the special rigors of Christmastime.

Be kind to yourself, your chronically ill child, and the rest of your family this holiday season. Give yourself permission to get the extra support that you all need. It may be the best gift you and your family will receive.

Sources:

Child's Chronic Illness Can Affect the Whole Family. Medicinenet.com. Retrieved Dec. 8, 2013.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=173813

The Impact of a Disabled Child on Your Marriage. About.com. Retrieved Dec. 8, 2013.
http://marriage.about.com/od/parenting/a/disabledchild.htm

7 health benefits of playing video games. TheWeek.com. Retrieved Dec. 8, 2013.
http://theweek.com/article/index/241121/7-health-benefits-of-playing-vid...

Visit Jody's website at http://www.ncubator.ca

Reviewed December 9, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Champion

Jody Smith HERWriter View Profile Send Message

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.