Parents Are the Experts: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Parents of Children with Severe Neurological Impairment During Decision-Making

Abstract

CONTEXT: Parents of children with severe neurologic impairment (SNI) often face high-stakes medical decisions when their child is hospitalized. These decisions involve technology/surgery, goals of care/advance care planning, or transitions of care. OBJECTIVE: This study describes the experiences of parents of children with SNI during decision-making. METHODS: Eligible participants were parents facing a decision for a child with SNI admitted to acute or intensive care units at a single tertiary pediatric center. Parents completed 1:1 semi-structured interviews and brief surveys between August 2019-February 2020. Demographic information was extracted from the child’s electronic health record. A team of palliative and complex care researchers with expertise in qualitative methods used thematic content analysis to formulate results. RESULTS: 25 parents participated. The majority had children with congenital/chromosomal SNI conditions (n=13, 65%), >5 subspecialists (n=14, 61%), and chronic technology assistance (n=25, 100%). 68% (n=17) were mothers and 100% identified as being their child’s primary decision-maker. Responses from parents included 3 major themes: 1) our roles and actions; 2) our stresses and challenges; and 3) our meaning and purpose. Responses highlighted the pervasiveness of parental decision-making efforts and parents’ advocacy and vigilance regarding their child’s needs. Despite this, parents often felt unheard and undervalued in the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: During hospitalizations, when parents of children with SNI often face high-stakes medical decisions, interventions are needed to support parents and ensure they feel heard and valued as they navigate their child’s medical needs and system challenges.