Experiences of parents with congenital abnormalities at Oshakati Intermediate hospital, Oshana region
The purpose of this study was to describe and explore the experiences of parents of children with congenital abnormalities and identify source of support such parents employ when dealing with the child born with congenital abnormalities. Congenital abnormalities, regardless of the type, pose a concern to the Government, society, immediate family members and individual parents. The expectations parents had for a normal child becomes a nightmare when the child they were expecting is born with a disability. Living with such a child can be stressful for parents and other family members. Therefore, exploring and describing the lived experiences of parents of children born with congenital abnormalities is important in the process of finding ways to assist or support parents to provide proper care for their children. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and a contextual study design using a phenomenological approach was used for this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve purposefully selected participants from the population of parents of children born with congenital abnormalities. The study was conducted at Intermediate Hospital, Oshakati in Oshana region in north-central Namibia. Data analysis was done using content analysis and it was categorized into four categories with three sub-categories. The study revealed psychological, emotional, social and economic challenges parents endure while raising a child with congenital abnormalities. Psychological and emotional challenges included being stressed by caring tasks and having worries about the present and future life of their children. They were terrified and traumatized by the reactions of some spouses/family members and community who failed to comprehend with the child‘s condition. Social challenges were inadequate social services for their children, such as special schools, specialized health care services, stigma and burden of caring tasks. The economic challenges were poverty, child care interfering with various income generating activities and other extra expenses associated with the child’s condition.
Congenital abnormalities, Parents, Children
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