Family Dynamics in Parenting Asthmatic Child (Review Articles )

Bronchial asthma had been considered one of the most chronic illnesses of childhood. Studies showed that 14-16% of children have a diagnosis of asthma that remains a current problem and 20-30% have wheezes. Asthma is the third most common cause of hospitalization among children aged 15 years or less and accounts for one sixth of all pediatric emergency department visits. Parents are keen for their children to achieve satisfactory control over asthma because asthma was perceived as disruptive to family life, including sibling relationships, the home environment and the parents own lifestyle. Research shows that parents of children with bronchial asthma report higher parenting stress compared with parents of healthy children. In addition, mothers of children with bronchial asthma report decreased time available to spend with their spouses. Therefore, this paper aimed at shedding light on the effect of bronchial asthma on the family in relation to coping styles, quality of life in children's and families, the sources of stress, siblings coping and implications for nursing.