Review : The effects on siblings in families with a child with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract

■ Paediatric CFS/ME is a stressor, which affects not only the sufferer but also the whole family.

■ The sibling bond exerts a great influence on all the children in the family.

■ Healthy siblings are often overlooked as attention is focused on the child with CFS/ME or other chronic illness.

■ Individual children react in different ways to serious illness in another sibling by adopting a variety of coping mechanisms.

■ There is a need for health and education professionals to consider the whole family when caring for and working with a child with CFS/ME.

Keywords

Chronic fatigue syndrome Communication Coping Families Myalgic encephalomyelitis Post viral fatigue syndrome Siblings Stressors.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Acheson ED (1959) The clinical syndrome variously called benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, Iceland disease, and epidemic neuromyasthenia. American Journal of Medicine; 26: 569-595.

Bank S. P, Kahn MD ( 1982) The Sibling Bond New York. Basic Books.

Barbarin OA , Sargent JR , Sahler Ojz , Carpenter PJ , Copeland DR , Dolgin MJ , Mulhern RK , Roughman KJ , Zeltzer LK , (1995) Sibling adaptation to childhood cancer collaborative study parental views of pre-and post-diagnosis adjustment of siblings of children with cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology; 13 (3): 1-20

Bearn J. , Wessely S. (1994) The neurobiology of chronic fatigue syndrome European Journal of Clinical Investigation; 24. 79-90.

Behan PO , Behan Wmh. (1988) Post viral fatigue syndrome CRC Critical Reviews in Neurobiology; 4. 157-158.

Bell DS ( 1991) The Disease of a Thousand Names. CFIDS publication. New York Pollard.

Bell DS ( 1995) Chronic fatigue syndrome in children. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; 1: 9-33.

Bell DS ( 1997) Illness onset characteristics in children with chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ; 3(2): 43-51.

Breslau N. , Weitzman M. , Messenger K. (1981) Psychologic functioning of siblings of disabled children Pediatrics; 67(3): 344-353.

10.

Cadman D. , Boyle M. , Offord D. (1988) The Ontano child health study: social adjustment and mental health of siblings of children with chronic health problems. Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics; 9(3): 117-121

11.

Cairns NU , Clark GM , Smith SD , Lansky SB , (1979) Adaptation of siblings to childhood malignancy . The Journal of Pediatrics; 95(3): 484-487.

12.

Carpenter PJ , Sahler Ojz. (1991) Siblings' perception and adaptation to childhood cancer: conceptual and methodological considerations. In: Johnson JH , Johnson SB (eds.) Advances in Child Health Psychology. 193-205. Gainesville : University of Florida Press.

13.

Carter B. (in press) There's a whole family hurting: the experience of Ining with a child with chronic pan. In Glasper, A. and Ireland L (eds.). Evidence Based Paediatric Nursing. The Scope of Clinical Practice. Macmillan

14.

Charlton A. , Pearson D. , Morris-Jones PH (1986) Children's return to school after treatment for solid tumours. Social Science and Medicine, 22(12): 1337-1346

15.

Colby J (1998) (ed.) Guidelines for schools: ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) the recognition and management of this condition In the school population. (3 ed.) Available from Action for ME.

16.

Covelman K. , Scott S. , Buchanon B. , Rosman B. (1990) Pediatnc pain control a family systems model. Advances in Pain Research Therapy; 15. 225-236.

17.

Daniels D. , Moos RH , Billings AG , Miller JJ (1997) Psychosocial risk and resistance factors among children with chronic illness, healthy siblings, and healthy controls. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology; 15(2): 295-308.

18.

David AS , Wessely S. , Pelosi AJ (1988) Postviral fatigue syndrome time for a new approach . British Medical Journal; 296(6623): 696-699.

19.

Dolgin MJ , Blumensohn R. , Mulhern RK , Orbach J. (1997) Sibling adaptation to childhood cancer collaborative study: cross cultural aspects. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology , 15(1): 1-14

20.

Dowsett EG , Colby J. (1997) Long-term sickness absence due to ME /CFS in UK schools: an epidemiological study with medical and Pducational imploations . Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; 3(2): 29-42.

21.

Drotar D. , Crawford P. (1985) Psychological adaptation of siblings of chronically ill children: research and practice implications. Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics; 6: 355-362.

22.

Dunn J. ( 1988) Sibling influences on childhood development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry; 29(2):119-127.

23.

Editorial. (1996) Frustrating survey of chronic fatigue. The Lancet; 348(9033): 971.

24.

Evans CA , Stevens M. , Cushaway D. , Houghton J. (1992) Sibling response to childhood cancer a new response . Child: Care, Health and Development; 18: 229-244.

25.

Ferrari M. ( 1984) Chronic illness- Psychosocial effects on siblings -1 Chronically ill boys. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry; 25(3): 459-476.

26.

Frankln A. (1998) Children with ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis). guidelines for school doctors and general practitioners. Available from Action for ME

27.

Gayton WF , Stanford B. , Tavormina JF , Tucker F. (1977) Children with cystic fibrosis. 1 Psychological test findings of patients, siblings and parents. Pediatrics ; 59(6). 888-894.

28.

Garmezy N. (1985) Stress resistant children: the search for protective factors. In: Stevenson JE (ed) Recent Research in Psychopathology 221-228 Oxford : Pergamon Press.

29.

Gordon N. (1988) Myalgic encephalomyelitis. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology; 30: 673-682.

30.

Hall C. ( 1998) Medical editor. Daily Telegraph; Friday July 17th p4.

31.

Havermans T. , Eiser C. (1994) Siblings of a child with cancer Child Care, Health and Development; 20(5): 309-322.

32.

Iles P. ( 1979) Children with cancer: healthy siblings' perceptions during the illness expenence. Cancer Nursing; 2: 371-377.

33.

Jont Colleges Report. (1996) Chronic fatigue syndrome. Report of a joint working group of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Psychiatrists and General Practitioners. RCOP: London

34.

Kazak A.E. , Nachman GS (1991) Family research on childhood chronic illness: pediatric oncology as an example. Journal of Family Psychology; 4(4): 462-483.

35.

Kramer R.F. (1984) Living with childhood cancer: impact on healthy siblings. Oncology Nursing Forum; 11: 44-51.

36.

Lamb ME , Sutton Smith B. (1992) (eds.) Sibling relationships: their nature and significance across the lifespan. Hillsdale : Erlbaum.

37.

Lapp CW ( 1997) Management of chronic fatigue syndrome in children: a practicing clinician's approach. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; 3(2): 59-76

38.

Lavigne JV , Ryan M. ( 1979) Psychological adjustment of siblings of children with chronic illness. Pediatrics, 63(4): 616-627

39.

Lobato D. , Faust D. , spirito A. (1988) Examining the effects of chronic disease and disability on children's sibling relationships. Journal of Pediatric Psychology; 13(3): 389-407.

40.

McKeever P. (1982) Siblings of chronically ill children: a literature review with implications for research and practice. Amencan Journal of Orthopsychiatry; 53(2): 209-218

41.

Menke EM (1987) The impact of a child's chronic illness on school-aged siblings. Children's Healthcare, 15(3). 132-140.

42.

Nelson E. , Sloper P. , Charlton A. , While D. (1994) Children who have a parent with cancer a pilot study. Journal of Cancer Education, 9(1): 30-36

43.

Sahler Ojz , Roghman KJ , Carpenter PJ , Mulhern RK , Dolgin MJ , Sargent JR , Barbarn OA , Copeland DR , Zeltzer LK (1994) Sibling adaptation to childhood cancer collaborative study prevalence of sibling distress and definition of adaptation levels. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics; 15(5): 353-366.

44.

Sahler Ojz , Roghman KJ , Mulhern RK , Carpenter PJ , Sargent JR , Barbarin OA , Dolgin MJ , Copeland DR , Zeltzer LK (1997) Sibling adaptation to childhood cancer collaborative study: the association of sibling adaptation with maternal well being, physical health, and resource use Journal of Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics, 18(4): 233-243

45.

Sargent JR , Sahler Ojz , Roghman KJ , Mulhern RK , Barbarin OA , Carpenter PJ , Copeland DR , Dolgn MJ , Zeltzer LK (1995) Sibling adaptation to cancer collaborative study: Siblings' perceptions of the cancer experience. Journal of Pediatnc Psychology, 20(2), 151-164.

46.

Shapiro M. , Brack G. (1994) Psychosocial aspects of siblngs' experiences of pediatric cancer. Elementary School Guidance and Counselling , 28(4): 264-273.

47.

Shepherd C. (1995) Myalgic encephalomyelitis: Postviral fatigue syndrome. Guidelmes for the care of patients. (2ed). Available from the ME Association

48.

Sloper P. , While D. (1996) Risk factors in the adjustment of siblings of children with cancer. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37(5): 597-697.

49.

Stoneman Z. , Brody GH (1993) Siblng relations in the family context. In: Stoneman Z , Berman PW. (eds.) The effects of mental retardation, disability and illness on sibling relationships: research issues and challenges. 3-30 London : Paul H. Brookes.

50.

Tew B. , Lawrence KM (1973) Mothers, brothers and sisters of patients with spina bifida Developmental Mediane and Child Neurology, 15(Suppl. 29).69-76.

51.

Travis G. (1976) Chronic Illness in Children. Its Impact on Child and Family. Stanford CA: Stanford University Press.

52.

Tntt SG , Esses LM (1988) Psychosocial adaptation of siblings of children with chronic medical illnesses American Journal of Orthopsychiatry , 58: 211-219

53.

Vance JC , Fazan LE , Satterwhite B. , Pless IB (1980) Effects of nephroto syndrome on the family a controlled study. Pediatrics, 65(5) 948-955.

54.

Walker CL (1988) Stress and coping in siblngs of childhood cancer patients. Nursing Research, 37(4). 208-212.

55.

Wallnga C. , Reed M. ( 1990) The elementary school counsellor's role with sib-Ings of ill children. Elementary School Guidance and Counselling , 25(2). 91-97.

56.

Wessely S. , Butler S. , Chalder S. , David A. (1991) The cognitive behavioural management of the post viral fatigue syndrome. In: Jenkins R , Mowbray J. (eds.) The Postviral Fatigue Syndrome (ME. 297-334 Chichester. John Wiley.

57.

Westcare. (1994) The Report from the National Task Force on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome, and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Bristol: Westcare.

58.

Williams PD , Lorenzo FD , Borja M. (1993) Paediatric chronic illness: effects on siblngs and mothers. Maternal Child Nursing Journal; 21(4): 111-121.