[Aspects of psychosocial management of children with kidney failure and their relatives]

Abstract

Being confronted with chronic illness in childhood and adolescence implicates a high degree of physical and emotional burden hardly coped with without external support. For this reason psychosocial services to support children with chronic renal failure recently have been initiated at several pediatric nephrology centres during recent years. The spectrum of psychosocial burdens accompanying chronic renal failure in childhood is revealed. Tasks and interventions of psychosocial services corresponding to these burdens are described. The presented data concerning educational and vocational rehabilitation of young renal patients demonstrate the continuous need of qualified psychosocial staff, although the basic equipment of pediatric nephrology with psychosocial services has increased during the last years. In conclusion a concept of integrative patient care is illustrated by giving practical suggestions increasing the patient's compliance.