[Basic principles of psychological adjustment in the chronically ill child]

Abstract

How a chronic illness leads to emotional disorders in a child or adolescent is primarily defined by the style of coping within the family. coping style describes the inner confrontation and the way of coming to terms with the disease and its effective management. For the treating physician, knowledge of the determining factors is important not only to perceive disturbances in the patient-physician relationship but also between the child or adolescent and his family. This is important when deciding whether the physician himself can intervene or whether outside help is necessary. Of these determining factors, the cognitive understanding of the disease by the affected child or adolescent and the art of communication within the family are described. Most important is the parental coping style, formed in earlier crisis situations, into which the child or adolescent is now integrated. Pathological "pseudo" solutions together with reasonably successful forms of coping and their influence on the patient-doctor-relationship are discussed.