National Family Caregivers Month: A focus on caregivers of children with rare diseases

This month is National Family Caregivers Month. Here at Sprout, we do a lot of work developing programmes for children with rare diseases and their families. Through this work we aim to support caregivers who are striving to provide the best care they can for their loved ones.

Rare diseases affect between 6-10% of the global population,¹ many of these diseases have no formal title and can take years to diagnose.² The majority of rare diseases are present from birth and the first signs may be noticed by caregivers and family members long before a formal diagnosis.³ Caring for a child with a rare disease often involves a shift in priorities for the caregivers with consequences for relationships, at work, on the family income and domestic responsibilities.

The many hats of caregivers of children with rare diseases

Caregivers of children with rare diseases can find themselves in a new role, advocating for their child, navigating care systems and often coming up against barriers to receiving a diagnosis or the medical care and support that their child needs. Many caregivers feel that their concerns about their child are not taken seriously and some experience difficulties in communicating with medical professionals.⁴ Misdiagnosis is common and even when a definitive diagnosis has been made, it can be difficult to access high quality information about the disease and treatment. Not surprisingly, caregivers often feel frustrated and isolated, and the stress can impact family relationships.^{4, 5}

The Supportive Care Framework

The Supportive Care Framework was originally developed as a tool for cancer care professionals to understand the type of support people with cancer might require and how to approach their care.⁶ The framework has since been adapted to understand the needs of caregivers of children with rare diseases.³  In a systematic review of 29 qualitative and quantitative studies, the most commonly reported support care need for caregivers of children with rare diseases was social support, followed by informational needs and emotional needs.³

We have summarised the main support needs below and identified types of support that could help address the unmet needs, along with links to online resources that may be useful for caregivers.

References:

1. Jaffe A, Zurynski Y, Beville L, et al. Call for a national plan for rare diseases. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 2010;46(1-2):2-4.

2. Denis A, Mergaert L, Fostier C, et al. Issues surrounding orphan disease and orphan drug policies in Europe. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. 2010;8(5):343-350.

3. Pelentsov LJ, Laws TA, Esterman AJ. The supportive care needs of parents caring for a child with a rare disease: A scoping review. Disability and Health Journal. 2015;8(4):475-491.

4.  Cardinali P, Migliorini L, Rania N. The Caregiving Experiences of Fathers and Mothers of Children With Rare Diseases in Italy: Challenges and Social Support Perceptions. Frontiers in Psychology. 2019;10(1780).

5. Pelentsov LJ, Fielder AL, Esterman AJ. The Supportive Care Needs of Parents With a Child With a Rare Disease: A Qualitative Descriptive Study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 2016;31(3):e207-e218.

6. Fitch MI. Supportive care framework. Can Oncol Nurs J. 2008;18(1):6-24.

7. Treadgold BM, Teasdale E, Muller I, Roberts A, Coulson N, Santer M. Parents and carers’ experiences of seeking health information and support online for long-term physical childhood conditions: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research. BMJ Open. 2020;10(12):e042139.

8. Mogul DB, Bowring MG, Lau J, et al. Role for Social Media in Pediatric Liver Disease: Caregiver and Provider Perspectives. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2020;23(6):548-557.

9. Fidika A, Herle M, Lehmann C, Weiss C, Knaevelsrud C, Goldbeck L. A web-based psychological support program for caregivers of children with cystic fibrosis: a pilot study. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2015;13:11