Non-medical Services for Caregivers of Children Experiencing Amputation

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2012-12

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The Ohio State University

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Abstract

Children who experience amputation and their families often need extra support services because amputation is a traumatic event. While children who have experienced amputation and their families typically receive extensive medical care with regards to amputation, non-medical care may be less available. This research is exploratory in nature and is intended to assess the non-medical needs and services received by families of children experiencing amputation. Parents and/or caregivers of children who have experienced amputation were asked to fill out an online questionnaire assessing the non-medical services the children were offered after amputation, the services they received, and any barriers they encountered in getting the services. Follow up telephone interviews were also conducted for participants who indicated their willingness to be interviewed on the questionnaire. The recruitment method only yielded a total of two responses from caregivers. Both caregivers reported that their child acquired amputation through accidental means. Each caregiver reports being offered different services and information after their child experienced amputation. The only service both were offered was that of mental health services for the family. Both families indicated that they were unable to utilize offered services after hospitalization due to the distance from their home residence to the services. It is difficult to draw meaningful conclusions as the response rate was limited; however the following conclusions may be made: Amputations due to disease or cancer appear to be on the decline due to medical advancements; there appears to be a lack of follow up support in rural areas and services may need to be embedded in already existing ones to meet the needs of children and their families; communication among medical and non-medical care providers needs to be improved to offer the best recommendations for these children and their families.

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amputation

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