‘It would be much easier if we were just quiet and disappeared’: Parents silenced in the experience of caring for children with rare diseases

Abstract

Background

Parent experiences of caring for children with neurodevelopmental disease have been silenced and constrained by social, political and health influences. There is a need to co‐construct new meanings and interpretations of parenting a child with complex disabilities by having an increased understanding of the struggles and barriers for parents.

Methods

A hermeneutic phenomenology approach was applied in this inquiry. Fifteen parents of children with rare neurodevelopmental diseases participated in semi‐structured interviews.

Results

Parents experienced silencing or being silenced within interactions with health‐care and social care systems and providers. Interpretive thematic analysis revealed three insights: (a) parents experience a sense of disconnect and silencing as little is known or understood by health‐care providers about the experience of caring for children at home; (b) parents make strong efforts to be heard and acquire services within health and social systems as fighters, saviours and navigators; and (c) parents sacrifice themselves to the caregiving role and become therapists and caregivers to their medically fragile children at the cost of losing themselves as parents.

Conclusion

An understanding of parents’ experiences in caring for a child with a rare neurodevelopmental disease may provide insight to systemic health and social support challenges faced by families and mitigate appropriate and supportive policies and services.