ESTABLISHING THERAPEUTIC GROUPS WITH THE FAMILIES OF SPINA BIFIDA CHILDREN IN A HOSPITAL SETTING

How does one understand the tragedy of a child who has spina bifida and the impact of this on family life? How can parents of such a child be engaged in a therapeutic relationship either in group or individual treatment so they can explore the multitude and complexity of problems and feelings related to bearing a child who will be disabled throughout his life? How can the families be helped to cope with the constant requirement of time and money as well as the physical and emotional energies expended in the care of this child? How can the chronic worry, frustration, and despair about the childs future be eased? How are the other children in the family affected by the illness of their sibling? The human problems associated with this tragic birth defect led to an effort to develop social work services for the families involved in a Spina Bifido Clinic. This paper is a description of experiences in engaging the parents of these children in group treatment. the ralities that were found to mitigate against such a program, and the kind of group services that did in fact enhance the social functioning of these families.