Family Having a Child with Life-Limiting Illness Thesis

Family Having a Child with Life-Limiting Illness - Thesis Example Consequently, the number of children with terminal diseases continues increasing, raising the cost of their care at family and national levels. Many research studies have been conducted to investigate the financial impact of life-limiting disabilities on medical care budgets of various countries, especially in the developed world. A study conducted by Michelson and Steinhorn (2007) in England investigated the palliative costs of managing various types of life-limiting disabilities on children. Though the study focused on particular standards needed to cater for patients suffering from a particular life-limiting disorder, it gave insights of financial costs that such life-limiting disorders have on families. Majority of all life-limiting conditions require palliative care and in children, such care is concerned with controlling the symptoms and maintaining the good quality of life of the child for the uncertain period before the child dies (Michelson & Steinhorn 2007). Though the deat h of children with the life-limiting condition is usually expected, it is difficult to determine when and how such children will die. Therefore, caregivers of people with such conditions are faced with financial challenges of preparing the patients until death. EAPC (2007) noted that though children’s palliative care at national level supports children and young persons diagnosed with life-limiting conditions, the inclusion of children with other types of disabilities often puts an extra strain on the care of such patients. According to Chochinov (2005) majority of children, hospices depend on charitable organizations for funding which in most cases is short-term and inconsistent. Others rely on short-term grants and statutory funds that are similarly unreliable and as a result, most parents use vast resources to add life to the child is remaining years to supplement the funding for their children’s care. There are different categories of life-limiting disorders most o f which are rare with unique symptoms. Consequently, it is difficult to determine the needs and care of children with life-limiting disorders. According to Dangel (2005), a strong relationship exists between the requirements of children in need of palliative care and those with other disabilities requiring complex care. However, those in need of palliative care are usually in an unstable state, requiring a different type of care according to their state of health at any given time. This is in contrast with other types of disabilities, which are generally in a constant state, making it easy to manage and plan for their needs. The unpredictable nature of life-limiting disorders makes it more expensive to manage, plan and take care of the sufferer than in children with other disabilities (Dangel, 2005).