Search

Although fathers experience emotional stress both during the care period and after discharge, there is limited research focusing exclusively on fathers’ experiences after their time in a neonatal intensive care unit. Their experiences are important for tailoring support to fathers based on their individual needs. This paper is part of a longitudinal study in which parents were followed by means of questionnaires and individual interviews during a two-year period after discharge from hospital-based neonatal home care. A qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach was used to elucidate the experiences of fathers six months after their preterm infant’s discharge. Twelve fathers participated in the study. The following categories emerged and constituted the result: “Vivid memories from the NICU,” “Struggling with new challenges in life” and “Transition to home still in their thoughts.” The approach and attitude of health-care professionals may contribute to fathers’ involvement during the care period, as fathers tend to set their own feelings aside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very early precursors of disrupted social behaviours are significant to understanding the possibility of mitigating or changing behaviours through interventions. Spontaneous play situations between infant and parent in two groups of infants aged 8.5-9 months were observed. First, a large number of videos were analysed to develop an observational schedule of play behaviour. Second, 135 videos were used in the comparison of atypical (AT; n = 23) and typically developed (TD; n = 22) infants. Frequency and duration of infants' orientation towards the parent's eye zone was significantly higher among TD infants than AT, indicating a stronger social gaze behaviour. Both groups were as competent at screening the surroundings, grabbing, and looking at toys. Finding may indicate an equal competence at reacting to reflexive stimuli. The quality of gaze behaviour provides important information for child healthcare professionals and parents when deciding whether to start supportive intervention or diagnostic investigation.

This article illuminates (inter)actions and group dynamics of adult volunteers in programs for bereaved children and parents. A focus group interview with seven volunteers in Swedish was conducted. A latent, thematic analysis was conducted, inspired by Braun and Clarke, and Goffman. Two themes were constructed: Personal despair as a motivation for establishing and consolidating voluntary involvement and The volunteers acted as an extended family. Group dynamics within the group contributed to uphold volunteers' adherence to formal and informal guidance related to the program. Strong engagement among volunteers and internal recruitment strategies contributed to uphold and consolidate the program's implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening studies of a population in primary health care are sparsely reported. The aim was to describe observed atypical behaviours that may be associated with autism spectrum conditions, in a population (n?=?4,329) of infants at eight months. Observations were performed by paediatric nurses. An observational instrument, named SEEK developed for child health care, was used focusing on social interaction, communication, motor skills, and an interview with parents. The analysis contains descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and a logistic regression model (cut-point 8 SEEK points). Infants scoring 8 points or more were observed a second time by psychologists and judged to be in the risk zone for atypical development. Delayed reaction to stimuli and preverbal language development were significant atypical behaviours together with deficits in communication skills, the latter more often among boys than girls. However, 7% scored 4 points or more indicating minor developmental problems. Catching early signs are crucial for both proactive care and intervention.

Background: One way to measure quality of care is by measuring satisfaction of provided care among patients and their families. EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care 30 (EMPATHIC‐30) is a self‐reported questionnaire grounded on the principles of FCC aiming to measure parents' satisfaction with paediatric intensive care. There is lack of Swedish questionnaires measuring satisfaction with paediatric intensive care based on family‐centered care principles. Aim: The aim was to translate the instrument EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care 30 (EMPATHIC‐30) into the Swedish language and evaluate psychometrically the Swedish version in a paediatric intensive care context. Methods: The instrument EMPATHIC‐30 was translated and adapted to Swedish context, thereafter, assessed by expert panels consisting of nurses (panel one; n = 4; panel two; n = 24) and parents (n = 8) with experience in paediatric intensive care. Construct validity, item characteristics and reliability were tested in a cohort of 97 parents whose child had been treated for at least 48 h at two out of four Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICUs) in Sweden. Parents whose child died during hospitalisation were excluded. Results: The Swedish version of EMPATHIC‐30 showed an acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale 0.925. Cronbach's alpha on the domain level varied between 0.548–0.792 with the lowest coefficient in the domain Organisation. Inter‐scale correlation revealed acceptable correlations for both subscales (0.440–0.743) and between total scale and subscales (0.623–0.805), which demonstrated good homogeneity for the instrument in its entirety. One problem regarding the domain Organisation and especially the item "It was easy to contact the pediatric intensive care unit by telephone" was revealed, which indicated that the item needs to be reformulated or that the factor structure needs to be further evaluated. Conclusion: The findings from the current study indicated that the Swedish version of EMPATHIC‐30 has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used in Swedish PICUs. Using EMPATHIC‐30 in clinical practice can give an indication of the overall quality of family‐centered care at the PICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with down syndrome (DS) are breastfed to a lesser extent than infants in general, despite research showing that it is possible for these children to breastfeed successfully. Aim: The aim was to describe how mothers of children with DS experienced breastfeeding and breastfeeding support from healthcare professionals. Method: A qualitative study with an inductive approach. Individual interviews were performed with seven mothers from southern Sweden. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Result: The mothers felt that the support varied, as some healthcare professionals were supportive, while others had preconceptions regarding breastfeeding and DS. They also experienced that the guidelines could be an obstacle in the encounter with healthcare professionals thereby affecting the possibility to establish breastfeeding. Information and support were important to the mothers, and when insufficient, they turned to the internet for help. Conclusions: Mothers felt that healthcare professionals were bound to ward routines and guidelines, which could be contrary to their own and the family's wishes. They were also sensitive to the attitudes of healthcare professionals, which can affect their own state of mind. Healthcare professionals' preconceptions regarding breastfeeding and DS have not changed, despite research showing that infants with DS can breastfeed successfully. Increased awareness of the possibility to breastfeed an infant with DS is needed to provide better support to mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The positive effects of Kangaroo mother care in NICU's are well documented but, to a lesser extent, explored during inter‐hospital neonatal transport. Inter‐hospital transport, with the infant placed in a transport incubator, increases the risk of separation while infants in Kangaroo mother care position implies that the parents accompany the transport. There exists limited knowledge if physiological stability differs when transported in Kangaroo mother care position compared to transport in a transport incubator. Aims: The aim of this study was to compare physiological stability of infants transported via ground ambulance in either Kangaroo mother care position or positioned in a transport incubator. Method: In total, 24 infants were recruited to be transported between hospitals in either a Kangaroo mother care position (n = 16) or in a transport incubator (n = 8). Inclusion criteria were; current weight >1500 g; current gestational age above 31+0 weeks; no central catheter; no respiratory support and no planed painful or distressing interventions during the 48‐h follow‐up period post‐transport. Exclusion criteria were; infants whose parents did not speak or understand Swedish or English and infants with a current weight above 4500 g for the KMC group. Physiological stability was obtained during transport and for a 48‐h follow‐up period by measuring body temperature, respiratory and heart rate, oxygen saturation, pain score, transport risk assessment and number of interventions during transport and 48‐h post‐transport. Cost‐effectiveness and adverse events were also evaluated. Results: Both groups had comparable background characteristics and physiological stability during transport and for the 48‐h follow‐up period after transport. Transporting in Kangaroo mother care position was more cost‐effective. Study limitation: A small sample size in both groups. Conclusion: Transporting an infant in Kangaroo mother care position can be regarded as a choice of transport mode when the infant fulfils the set criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kangaroo mother care including skin‐to‐skin care aims to overcome the negative effects of separating parents and infants and to increase the quality of care for infants and parents in need of neonatal care. In most cases where inter‐hospital transport is needed, the infant is placed in a transport incubator, which increases the risk of separation due to ambulance service restrictions that imply that parents are not allowed to accompany these transport trips. Aim: To illuminate parents' experiences of holding their infant in a kangaroo position during neonatal ground ambulance transport. Study design: A qualitative design with an inductive approach. Methods: A total of 11 open interviews with Swedish parents were conducted two to seven days after their infant had been transferred in a kangaroo position between hospitals. The transcribed interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The emerged overarching category was "an uninterrupted closeness chain." The parents experienced that holding their infant during the transport extended the time they were close to their infant. Using the kangaroo position during ground ambulance transport also created a feeling of being important as a parent, as their participation during transport was appreciated. Parents' experiences were allocated into three categories: "Strengthen the feeling of being important as a parent," "promote security and create a positive environment for the baby" and "the professionals' attitude promotes security." Conclusion and relevance for clinical practice: This knowledge about parents' experiences is important in the continued work to develop interventions that focus on promoting zero separation in neonatal care. Using kangaroo position in a safety harness during ambulance transport enhances zero separation and closeness. To encourage the implementation of kangaroo position during ambulance transport, further research is needed to address parents' experiences of zero separation during transport of infants to a higher level of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Recovery after heart transplantation is challenging and many heart recipients struggle with various transplant-related symptoms, side-effects of immunosuppressive medications and mental challenges. Fatigue has been reported to be one of the most common and distressing symptoms after heart transplantation and might therefore constitute a barrier to self-efficacy, which acts as a moderator of self-management. Aim: To explore the prevalence of fatigue and its relationship to self-efficacy among heart recipients 1-5 years after transplantation. Research method: An explorative cross-sectional design, including 79 heart recipients due for follow-up 1-5 years after transplantation. Three different self-assessment instruments were employed; The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-19, Self-efficacy for managing chronic disease 6-Item Scale and The Postoperative Recovery Profile. Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Board of Lund (Dnr. 2014/670-14/10) with supplementary approval from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Dnr. 2019-02769). Results: The reported levels of fatigue for the whole group were moderate in all dimensions of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-19, with highest ratings in the General Fatigue sub-scale. Those most fatigued were the groups younger than 50 years; pretransplant treatment with Mechanical Circulatory Support; not recovered or had not returned to work. Self-efficacy was associated with the sub-dimensions Mental Fatigue (ρ = 0.649) and Reduced Motivation (ρ = 0.617), which explained 40.1% of the variance when controlled for age and gender. Study limitations: The small sample size constitutes a limitation. Conclusions: The moderate levels of fatigue reported indicate that it is not a widespread problem. However, for those suffering from severe fatigue it is a troublesome symptom that affects the recovery process and their ability to return to work. Efforts should be made to identify those troubled by fatigue to enable sufficient self-management support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe fathers' lived experiences of caring for their preterm infant at the neonatal unit and in hospitalbased neonatal home care after the introduction of an individualised parental support programme. Method: Seven fathers from a larger study were included due to their rich narrative interviews about the phenomenon under study. The interviews took place after discharge from neonatal home care. The theoretical perspective was descriptive phenomenology. Giorgi's outlines for phenomenological analysis were used. Findings The general structure of the phenomenon was described by the following four themes: The partner was constantly present in the fathers' minds; The fathers' were occupied by worries and concerns; The fathers felt that they were an active partner to the professionals and Getting the opportunity to take responsibility. The fathers were satisfied with the support and treatment during their infant's hospitalisation. However, there were times when they felt excluded and not fully responsible for their infant. The fathers prioritised the mother, thus ignoring their own needs. Furthermore, they worried about their infant's health and the alteration of their parental role. Neonatal home care was experienced as a possibility to regain control over family life. Conclusion: The general structure of fathers' experiences highlights the importance of professionals becoming more responsive to fathers' needs and to tailoring support to fathers by focusing on their individual experiences and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-efficacy refers to a person´s confidence in carrying out treatment-related activities and constitutes the foundation of self-management as well as long-term follow-up after heart transplantation. Exploring the heart recipients´ experiences by means of self-report instruments provides healthcare professionals with valuable information on how to supply self-management support after heart transplantation. Aims: The aim was to explore self-efficacy in relation to the self-reported level of recovery and psychological wellbeing, among adult heart recipients, one to 5 years after transplantation. Methods: This cross-sectional study includes 79 heart recipients, due for follow-up one to 5 years after transplantation. Three different self-assessment instruments were employed: the self-efficacy for managing chronic disease 6-item scale; the postoperative recovery profile; and the psychological general wellbeing instrument. Results: The reported level of self-efficacy was high (median 8.3, maximum score 10). Significantly higher self-efficacy was seen among those who had returned to work (P = 0.003) and those without pre-transplant mechanical circulatory support (P = 0.033). In total, 65.5% (n = 52) reported being reasonably recovered, while 18.8% (n = 12) were not recovered. The median total psychological general wellbeing score was 108 (P 25 = 24, P 75 = 117), suggesting overall good psychological wellbeing in the whole group of heart recipients. Conclusion: The heart transplant recipients in our study had an overall high level of self-efficacy. Low self-efficacy was found among those with a low self-reported level of recovery, pre-transplant treatment with mechanical circulatory support or who had not returned to work. This is important information for transplant professionals when helping heart recipients to balance their expectations about recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very early precursors of disrupted social behaviours are significant to understanding the possibility of mitigating or changing behaviours through interventions. Spontaneous play situations between infant and parent in two groups of infants aged 8.5–9 months were observed. First, a large number of videos were analysed to develop an observational schedule of play behaviour. Second, 135 videos were used in the comparison of atypical (AT; n = 23) and typically developed (TD; n = 22) infants. Frequency and duration of infants' orientation towards the parent's eye zone was significantly higher among TD infants than AT, indicating a stronger social gaze behaviour. Both groups were as competent at screening the surroundings, grabbing, and looking at toys. Finding may indicate an equal competence at reacting to reflexive stimuli. The quality of gaze behaviour provides important information for child healthcare professionals and parents when deciding whether to start supportive intervention or diagnostic investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the impact on parental stress of an individualised neonatal parent support programme. Method: A quasi‐experimental design. Parents of preterm infants, at a level II NICU, were consecutively assigned to a control group (n = 130) and to an intervention group (n = 101). The programme focused on person‐centred communication and consisted of four individual nurse–parent dialogues during the infants' hospitalisation. The Swedish version of the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was used to assess parental stress. Result: The total stress scores did not vary significantly between the control and intervention groups either for mothers or for fathers. However, on item‐level, some items were significantly more distressed for mothers in the control group compared to the intervention group; other sick babies being cared for in the room (p = 0.016); my baby's unusual or abnormal breathing patterns (p = 0.025); not being able to hold my baby (p = 0.014); sometimes forgetting what my baby looks like (p = 0.042); being afraid of touching or holding my baby (p = 0.030); feeling the staff is closer to my baby than I am (p = 0.006). Comparing stress between mothers and fathers in the control group demonstrated a significant higher overall stress level for mothers compared to fathers (p < 0.005). The same result was found in the subscales Infant's behaviour and appearance (p = 0.016) as well as Parental role alteration (p = 0.001). No significant differences revealed between parents in the intervention group except for one item not being able to feed the babies themselves. It was significantly more distressed for mothers (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In this study, there was a decreased stress experience on item level in different subscales amongst mothers, but the study did not demonstrate any impact of the intervention on total stress experience either for mothers or for fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To present parents' lived experience of having a preterm infant cared for at the neonatal unit until discharge from hospital‐based neonatal home care (HNHC). Background: Becoming a parent to a preterm infant has been reported as an experience that may influence the parent's lifeworld also after discharge. Interventions have been implemented at the NICUs, for example introduction of family‐centred care aiming to reduce parent–infant separation, increased integration of the parents, to support them in their altered parental role. Design: A descriptive phenomenological interview study. Methods: Six parent couples at a NICU in Sweden were included and interviewed individually after discharge from HNHC. The interviews were analysed from the perspective of caring sciences using a descriptive phenomenological method. The study followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. Result: The journey from birth to discharge from hospital‐based neonatal home care affected the parents' lifeworld. The parents' experiences differed. Mothers experienced more physiological reactions that triggered feelings of existential loneliness and guilt and difficulties in combining the role of mother with partner. The fathers faced conflicts managing their partners' demands, family challenges and employers who claimed their time and energy, which negatively affected their transition into fatherhood. Both mothers and fathers experienced ambivalent feelings in the relationships with the professional staff, which was more strongly expressed by the mothers. Conclusion: It is important for healthcare providers to help parents clarify their individual needs and values in caring for a preterm infant to help them achieve parental and family well‐being. Relevance to clinical practice: These findings can guide healthcare providers to help parents improve care for their preterm infants in the NICU. Integrating a person‐centred approach such as supportive person‐centred dialogues focused on parents' individual needs might be one way to support parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Attrition from antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes is a critical challenge among children receiving care in resource-limited settings. Our objective was to determine the rates and predictors of attrition among children on ART in Ethiopia. Methods: Between December 2014 and September 2016, we conducted a prospective cohort study in eight health facilities in Ethiopia. Eligibility criteria included age 3 months–14 years; being on ART for not more than a month. Outcome was attrition due to death and/or loss to follow-up. Predictor variables were child clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, and caregiver socio-demographic characteristics. We used Cox Regression analyses to examine the association between predictors and outcome. Results: Of 309 children, 304 were included, 52% were male. Their median age was 9 years (Inter-quartile range, IQR, 6–12). At ART initiation, their median CD4 was 362 cells/mm3 (IQR 231–499); and 74.3% had WHO stage 1 or 2 disease. During 287.7 person-years of observation (PYO), 24 attritions were recorded, yielding an attrition rate of 8.3 per 100 PYO (95% CI 5.4–12.1). Of these, six children were reported dead, leading to a mortality rate of 2.1 per 100 PYO (95% CI 0.8–4.3). Eighteen were lost to follow-up (LTFU) leading to LTFU rate of 6.26 per 100 PYO (95% CI: 3.83–9.70). The majority, 14 (58%) of attrition occurred during the first six months of treatment. Age below three years [aHR] = 5.14 (95% CI: 2.07–12.96), rural residence (aHR = 3.97, 95% CI: 1.34–11.78) and baseline Hgb in g/dl < 10 g/dl [aHR] = 5.68 (95% CI: 2.03–6.23) predicted higher risk of attrition. Baseline Hgb < 10 g/dl (aHR = 16.63, 95% CI: 1.64–168.4) and WHO stage III or IV (aHR = 12.25, 95% CI: 1.26–119.05) predicted the death of the child. Higher attrition was documented among children of both biological parents alive and biologically related close family caregivers. Conclusion: Younger children, those from rural areas, and children with anaemia were at higher risk of attrition, especially during the early months of treatment, and therefore should be prioritized during treatment follow-up. Further studies should examine underlying reasons for higher attrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: All parents in Sweden are invited to child health service (CHS) parental groups, however only 49% of the families participate. The way the parental groups are managed has been shown to be of importance for how parents experience the support and CHS nurses describe feeling insecure when running the groups. Lack of facilitation, structure and leadership might jeopardise the potential benefit of such support groups. This study describes CHS nurses' experiences of how a course in group leadership affected the way they ran their parental groups. Methods: A course in group leadership given to 56 CHS nurses was evaluated in focus group interviews 5-8months after the course. Results: The nurses felt strengthened in their group leader role and changed their leadership methods. The management of parental groups was after the course perceived as an important work task and the nurses included time for planning, preparation and evaluation, which they felt improved their parental groups. Parental participation in the activities in the group had become a key issue and they used their new exercises and tools to increase this. They expressed feeling more confident and relaxed in their role as group leaders and felt that they could adapt their leadership to the needs of the parents. Conclusions: Specific training might strengthen the CHS nurses in their group leader role and give them new motivation to fulfil their work with parental groups. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov ID: NCT02494128. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The death of a parent is a life-changing event, and different programmes are developed to support children. This study explored how parental bereaved adolescents were included and (inter)acted in a Swedish support programme. The conducted ethnographic field study included six adolescents, their parents, and eight volunteers. The empirical material was thematically analysed through a theoretical lens inspired by Bourdieu. Three themes emerged: ‘Different strategies for adolescents’ inclusion in the programme,’ ‘Medico-psychological understanding of grief and suffering,’ and ‘Reproduction of the logic of the school.’ Adolescents were included in the programme through different strategies, where adults functioned as gatekeepers. The programme reproduced the school logic and was based on a medico-psychological grief/bereavement understanding. Volunteers had pedagogic authority and concomitant symbolic power, ruling adolescents to do what they must do in the meetings, silently socialising them into the medical logic. The adolescents only interacted and communicated with each other during breaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve optimal virologic suppression for children undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence must be excellent. This is defined as taking more than 95% of their prescribed doses. To our knowledge, no study in Ethiopia has evaluated the level of treatment adherence at the beginning of the child’s treatment. Our aim was therefore to evaluate caregiver-reported ART non-adherence among children and any predictors for this during the early course of treatment. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 306 children with HIV in eight health facilities in Ethiopia who were registered at ART clinics between 20 December 2014 and 20 April 2015. The adherence rate reported by caregivers during the first week and after a month of treatment initiation was 92.8% and 93.8%, respectively. Our findings highlight important predictors of non-adherence. Children whose caregivers were not undergoing HIV treatment and care themselves were less likely to be non-adherent during the first week of treatment (aOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.71) and the children whose caregivers did not use a medication reminder after one month of treatment initiation (aOR = 5.21, 95% CI: 2.23, 12.16) were more likely to miss the prescribed dose. Moreover, after one month of the treatment initiation, those receiving protease inhibitor (LPV/r) or ABC-based treatment regimens were more likely to be non-adherent (aOR = 12.32, 95% CI: 3.25, 46.67). To promote treatment adherence during ART initiation in children, particular emphasis needs to be placed on a baseline treatment regimen and ways to issue reminders about the child’s medication to both the health care system and caregivers. Further, large scale studies using a combination of adherence measuring methods upon treatment initiation are needed to better define the magnitude and predictors of ART non-adherence in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Child maltreatment can lead to acute and long-term consequences, and it is important that at-risk children are identified early. Child healthcare (CHC) nurses in Sweden are in a position to identify child maltreatment, as they follow children and their parents from the child's birth to school age. Therefore, the aim was to describe CHC nurses' experiences when encountering families in which child maltreatment was identified or suspected. Individual open interviews with eight CHC nurses were performed and analysed using a qualitative content analysis. Findings revealed that keeping the child in focus, while supporting the family was essential for the nurses. This family-centred approach was assumed to benefit the child's interests. Meeting families where child maltreatment was identified or suspected influenced the nurses, emotionally in different ways. Nevertheless, it was important to keep an open mind and communication build on honesty. Furthermore, the nurses requested professional supervision in order to help them learn from the situation ahead of the next time. This knowledge about CHC nurses' experiences may form a basis for the development of interventions that aim to support the CHC nurses in their professional role, and thereby improve support to children and parents in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents react differently after their child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, both at onset and longitudinally. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the disease impact on parents, in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), parents’ satisfaction with the care received, and the child´s experience of diabetes-specific family support 2 years after the child’s diagnosis. A further aim was to compare mothers’ and fathers’ HRQOL and satisfaction with care over time from the child’s diagnosis to follow-up 2 years later. A total of 43 children and 114 parents participated. Parents independently filled in the PedsQLTMFamily Impact Module and the PedsQLTMHealth Care Satisfaction Generic Module and children over the age of 8 filled in the Diabetes Family Behavior Scale®. The results showed that mothers reported a lower level of emotional functioning than fathers (p = 0.011) and a higher degree of worry 2 years after the child’s diagnosis (p = 0.035). Parents reported an overall high satisfaction with the child’s healthcare, but mothers reported lower satisfaction concerning the satisfaction of their emotional needs (p = 0.012). There was no correlation between how children experienced parental support and their HbA1c value. However, one outlier emerged and when this was removed a significant correlation was found between HbA1c and a warmth-caring support. When a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes it is important to take into consideration how parents are affected longitudinally. Furthermore, it is also important to further explore what children over the age of 8 estimate as important with regard to their family support. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Almost all parents in Sweden are invited to parental groups organized by the child health service (CHS) during their child’s first year, but only 40% chose to attend. The aim of this study was to describe parents’ experiences of participating in these parental groups. A total of 143 parents from 71 different parental groups at 27 child health-care (CHC) centres in one Swedish county completed an online questionnaire. A majority of the parents found the parental groups to be meaningful and more than 60% met someone in the group who they socialized with outside the meetings. Parents wanted a greater focus on child-related community information, existential questions, relationships and parenting in general. Group leadership seems to be of significance to how parents in a group connect and whether the parental role is affected. Making CHC nurses more aware of the topics parents desire could help them meet parents’ needs. Education and training in group dynamics and group leadership could be of value in further improving the high-quality service CHC nurses already offer parents. More knowledge is needed about what would attract those parents who do not participate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening studies of a population in primary health care are sparsely reported. The aim was to describe observed atypical behaviours that may be associated with autism spectrum conditions, in a population (n = 4329) of infants at eight months. Observations were performed by paediatric nurses. An observational instrument, named SEEK developed for child health care, was used focusing on social interaction, communication, motor skills, and an interview with parents. The analysis contains descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and a logistic regression model (cut-point 8 SEEK points). Infants scoring 8 points or more were observed a second time by psychologists and judged to be in the risk zone for atypical development. Delayed reaction to stimuli and preverbal language development were significant atypical behaviours together with deficits in communication skills, the latter more often among boys than girls. However, 7% scored 4 points or more indicating minor developmental problems. Catching early signs are crucial for both proactive care and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Family caregivers play a critical role in caring for children living with HIV, however, there is little knowledge about their experiences. The aim of this study was to illuminate the family caregivers’ lived experiences of caring for a child when he or she has been diagnosed with HIV and enrolled to antiretroviral treatment. Qualitative interviews with 21 family caregivers of 21 children diagnosed with HIV were analyzed using an inductive design with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. The caregivers' experience were articulated in 5 subthemes under the main theme of “Surviving overwhelming challenges”: “Committed care-giving,” “Breaking the family life,” “Caring burdens,” “Confronting conflicts,” and “Living with worry.” Despite the difficult situation the family caregivers experienced with extensive worry, caring burdens, and disrupted family and social networks, they were committed caregivers. They were empowered by their belief in God but also by their strong belief in the child’s treatment and support from healthcare workers. The healthcare system needs to consider possible ways to support the family caregivers during child’s HIV diagnosis and treatment initiation as part of a continuum of care. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The 1830s has been singled out as the decade in which the Swedish consumer market really started to expand. In the same period, cotton textile production expanded in the Gothenburg area. A small group of immigrant Jewish families played an important role in this development. The impact of Jewish merchants on the growth of the consumer goods market is consistent with international research. Their entrepreneurial activities and renewal of textile production and trade have been emphasized. This has, however, not been paid much attention to in the Swedish research. This article discusses what impact the Jewish immigrants had on the increase of the textile market in Gothenburg and its surroundings. Through a couple of case studies and examples, we want to elucidate the significance of Jewish textile production and trade: Jewish calico printers started up mass production of fashionable fabrics in the 1820s. Furthermore, Jewish merchants spread their goods to customers in the countryside in cooperation with Swedish pedlars. The authors also discuss different reasons why the Jews played such a significant role during this particular period: The role of the legislation, the Jewish textile tradition, access to capital, networks, effective distribution, a growing consumer demand, and the geographical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of critical care nurses (CCNs) and registered nurse anesthetists (RNAs) when monitoring and observing infants and toddlers recovering from anesthesia., Design: A qualitative design with a critical incident approach., Methods: Semistructured individual interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of CCNs and RNAs (n = 17) from postanesthesia care units at two hospitals. The critical incident technique approach was used to guide the interviews, and data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis., Findings: The main finding was the CCNs' and RNAs' description of how they "watch over the children and stay close" to provide emotional and physical safety. CCNs' and RNAs' experiences of observing and managing the children's small, immature airways were reflected in the theme "using situation awareness of the small, immature airways." The theme "understanding emergence agitation" describes the challenge that arises when children are anxious, feel insecure, and have pain, and the theme "having parents nearby" shows the necessity and value of involving parents in their children's care., Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest that caring for infants and toddlers recovering from anesthesia requires experience and both technical and nontechnical skills. These are prerequisites for achieving readiness for planning, setting priorities, and adapting one's behavior if an adverse event occurs. Alertness and the ability to solve acute problems and make quick decisions are essential because of the risks associated with children's small, immature airways, as is the ability to understand and respond to emergence agitation. Having parents nearby is equally important for creating the conditions for compassionate child- and family-centered care., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None to report., (Copyright © 2024 The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe parents' views of family-centered care at a pediatric intensive care unit. Design and Methods: A qualitative descriptive study with a deductive and inductive approach was conducted based on the principles of family-centered care. Inclusion criteria were parents of children cared for at a pediatric intensive care unit for at least 48 h. Parents of children who died during the hospital stay were excluded. The sample consisted of spontaneous responses from 70 parents to five open questions in the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care questionnaire, which was completed at discharge. The spontaneous responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis of the parents' statement illuminated that partnership, the essence of family-centered care, appeared incomplete. Partnership was particularly evident regarding parents' experiences of being treated with empathy and respect. It also seemed prominent in situations where the professional team provided support to the child, parents, and family. Based on the parents' statements there was potential for development of the family-centered care approach in aspects such as decision-making concerning care and treatment, as well as improving person-centered communication on order to capture parents' experiences and needs in the highly technological pediatric intensive care unit environment. Conclusions: Although in general parents were satisfied with the care, areas for improvement were identified such as participation in decision-making about care and treatment as well as person-centered communication. The results can contribute to future quality improvement interventions focusing family centered care at pediatric intensive care units., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Terp, Weis and Lundqvist.)