[Children and Adolescents in Need of Long-Term Care. An Analysis of Data Obtained by the Medical Service of Compulsory Health Insurance Funds, MDK Bavaria]

Abstract

Children and adolescents among those in need of long-term care differ significantly from older long-term care patients. The aim of this investigation was to characterise the features of this group. We analysed 6,141 records of children and adolescents produced in 2011 by the medical service of the statutory health insurance of Bavaria. The need for long-term care usually occurred before school age, initially mainly to care level 1. Typically, support for long-term care was initially applied for with the diagnosis of severe developmental disorder. Most likely, a care level was recommended for children with malignant diseases. The majority of children requiring long-term care suffered from Down syndrome, developmental disorders and cerebral palsy. In the population group, 60% were male. Typically, most of the assistance was needed for personal hygiene, however the higher the care level required the more time was needed for nourishment. Only few children regained age-appropriate independence. The majority of the children requiring long-term care for congenital diseases or those present at a young age stay dependent on outside assistance permanently.