Children's adjustment to a parent's stroke: Determinants of health status and psychological problems, and the role of support from the rehabilitation team

Objective: To investigate the support given to young children of patients with stroke by rehabilitation teams and to identify characteristics of the patients, spouses and children that relate to children's adjustment 2 months after the patient's discharge.

Subjects and methods: Seventy-seven children (

Results: Half of the children received some form of support from a rehabilitation team. Receiving more support was related to more severe disability of the parent with stroke, but not to the child's health or behavioural problems at the start of the stroke victim's inpatient stay. At the start of rehabilitation, 54% of the children had subclinical or clinical problems. Children's adjustment 2 months after their parent's discharge was related to the strain on spouses and not to the patients' characteristics or those of the support.

Conclusion: The children's adjustment was related to the strain perceived by the healthy parent. There is a need for support that focuses on the experience of children of patients with stroke, regardless of stroke severity.