Main description:

Originally published in 1975, this book traces the problems which arise for families coping with a chronic childhood disease - cystic fibrosis. The discussion of these problems is important for the families of other seriously ill or disabled children, all of whom are faced with similar implications of their situation. The book looks at the stressful situations which face them: mastering the child's treatment technique, assisting them to come to terms with their disease. It deals with the practical problems which arise for the parents and siblings of a sick child and explores the profound repercussions of the loss of a child on the entire family, considering the ways in which many of these families managed to transcend their problems.

Contents:

1. Introduction: Sick Children and Their Parents 1. Children With Cystic Fibrosis 2. Recognising Preliminary Symptoms and Obtaining an Adequate Diagnosis 3. Learning the Diagnosis 4. Understanding the Illness 5. Coping With An Inherited Disease 6. Giving The Child His Treatment 7. The Child in Hospital 8. Practical Problems Posed By Chronic Disease 9. Talking About the Disease 10. Changing Hopes and Expectations For the Sick Child 11. Sick Children 12. Brothers and Sisters of a Sick Child 13. The Loss of A Child 14. Learning to Live With a Chronic Disease.