From
EUPSA/ERNICA
ERNICA Research Collaboration - Mental health of parents in the context of EA/TOF
With Dr. Vuko Wallace & Dr. Ella Bailey · hosted by Dr. Andre Riedman
Chapter 1 of 5 · Evidence & Research
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Educational content from recorded physician discussions — not medical advice. Talk to your (or your child's) care team about your situation.
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What the experts said
Child age is a contributing factor to parental mental health in EA, with parental mental health improving as children grow older.
240 parents from 17 different countries participated in the parents survey on EA, resulting in 44 peer-reviewed articles on mental health in families affected by EA.
Nearly 70% of parents in the survey reported anxiety and nearly 40% reported depression, though these figures included mild levels.
The child's feeding problems was one of the key medical characteristics associated with parental anxiety and depression in EA.
Parental factors associated with anxiety and depression in EA include parents' younger age, perceived lack of support, caring stress, and financial worries.
Qualitative research themes on feeding in EA included parental experiences of anxiety, trauma, and loss; fear of feeding and child choking; feeling isolated and unsupported; and the importance of support from information, professionals, and family.
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Parents of chronically ill children report poorer mental health, more parenting stress, and increased anxiety and depression compared to parents of healthy children.
Parental anxiety and depression predict child's mental health and development.
Poor parental mental health and parenting stress can lead to maladaptive parenting practices and interfere with effective illness management.
Nearly 60% of parents of children with EA/TOF reported PTSD symptoms above the clinical range in one study.
PTSD can lead to post-traumatic growth (positive change after traumatic event), but less so in parents with increased depression.
Condition-specific factors contributing to parental mental health difficulties in EA include severity of EA, presence of associated anomalies, lung infections, and feeding problems.
Mothers report generally lower mental health and more PTSD compared to fathers in the context of child illness.
Parents' mental health difficulties around child illness may be more associated with parents' younger age, social problems, problems in daily life, and parenting stress than child-related medical characteristics.
In EA, parents' post-traumatic stress symptoms are related to parents' subjective evaluation of their child's health status and quality of life rather than the objective severity of their child's EA.
Establishing positive feeding interactions and practices are important for both parental and child mental health and for child health.
Educational interventions can positively impact parental emotional regulation and promote parental confidence and skills in managing their child's feeding.
EA complications can impact feeding and swallowing throughout the early years, causing episodes of gagging, coughing and having food stuck in the child's esophagus.
Episodes of gagging, coughing and food getting stuck in EA rarely cause difficulty in breathing.
Psychological flexibility means being able to do what is important to you in the present moment, even if that might mean experiencing uncomfortable feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Building a close, secure relationship with your child will help their development in many ways, and difficult feeding experiences can affect this relationship.
Making a fuss of negative mealtime behaviors (spitting out or throwing food) can make a child more likely to repeat them.
Most children's feeding and swallowing difficulties improve with time.