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Help for parental stress
Thank You!
There is plenty of research on parental stress. However, if you’re a parent, you don’t need a study. You’re familiar with the daily stress involved with making sure kids are safe, shuttled from place to place and served healthy meals while balancing other obligations, including work. Those responsibilities cause stress in all families, but those with children diagnosed with developmental disabilities often experience elevated stress. This is frightening because studies have found that these families are less likely to seek help when overwhelmed. Developmental disabilities are chronic health problems that can cause serious limitations in everyday activities, including self-care, communication, learning, mobility and the ability to live and work independently. Families with children diagnosed with developmental disabilities are often isolated socially. They sometimes avoid social settings because they do not know how their children will react. Social isolation combined with other issues, including marital strain, often leads to problems. Research shows that both mothers and fathers experience parental stress. However, one parent, often the mother, takes a more intense role as caregiver. This extreme caregiver might resent doing most of the work. But the other parent might feel that his or her spouse is not receptive to input or neglecting the marital relationship. It is also easy to imagine how single-parent families experience overwhelming stress. These families are often tired, frustrated and reluctant to schedule another appointment, but we are making strides every day to ensure that children diagnosed with developmental disabilities receive the most comprehensive, multidisciplinary care possible. Programs like SC LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) are teaching healthcare professionals how to better understand and assist families impacted by developmental disabilities. Greenville Hospital System Children’s Hospital has one of the most comprehensive centers in the country to evaluate and treat children diagnosed with developmental disabilities, recently attracting 150 professionals to its annual regional summit. Meeting with trained professionals and other families with similar experi-
in my own words by DR. TARA A. CANCELLARO and JULIE M. KELLETT
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Thank Thank ences can help with managing stress and provide information that can make you a better advocate for your child. There are a number of programs designed to help families address these common issues. Family Connection of South Carolina (familyconnectionsc.org) has a network of offices and families that offers programs for families, including workshops © 2011 CTA, Inc. to improve communication between couples and referrals to respite co-ops. The S.C. Autism Society (scautism. org) can pair parents across the state with local resources. Sibling Support Project (siblingsupport. org) provides information for siblings affected by a brother or sister’s health condition. Siblings can also connect with others through Yahoo and Facebook groups. Help Me Grow (1-855-476-9211) provides information to families who are concerned about their children’s behavior, development or learning. The program can also refer families to other resources. Resiliency can counterbalance stress. Make sure your family has healthy communication skills. Parents should be able to communicate their family’s needs to physicians and others they encounter. It’s also important for parents to communicate with each other and for children to have healthy communication skills. It is important that we manage stress and seek help when it is needed. We are our best selves when© we sleeping, get2011are CTA, Inc. ting exercise, spending time with our partners and friends. When we are not at our best it not only impacts our health, but it affects our children.
Thank You! Thank You!
Dr. Tara A. Cancellaro is a developmental-behavioral pediatric fellow and Julie M. Kellett, MA, is a psychology resident. Both work in the Division of DevelopmentalBehavioral Pediatrics with the Greenville Hospital System’s Children’s © 2011 CTA, Inc. Hospital. Both are SC LEND Program trainees.
Please join us for a day of encouragement, pampering, loving support, comfort food, authentic presenters and sharing the love of Christ, our Great Healer and Comforter. We welcome mothers at all points along their journey of healing regardless of the age of the child or the length of time since the death.
Saturday, April 20, 2013 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
© 2011 CTA, Inc.
First Baptist Church, Simpsonville MPAC Building (101 Church Street) Registration: 8:30 am - 9:00 am Registration Cost - $10.00 (Includes lunch) Our Guest Speakers
Thank You! Patti Cannady Alyce Kemp DeWitt Cathy Schwartz
Christian Speaker Christian Speaker Christian Entertainer
Small Group Choices
1. Journaling through Grief Beth Marshall – Author of a Time to Heal
2. Stress and Spiritual Health Kathy Kent – Health Educator
3. Prayer Walking
Susan Bledsoe – Campus Crusade
4. Healing through Art Expression
Jesse Martini – Art Teacher
5. Healthy Eating
Colleen Finley – Teacher
7. How to Talk to Children About Death and Coping Dr. Anne Henderson – School Counselor
8. De-stress Through Yoga Ellen Hampshire – School Psychologist
9. The Trauma of Suicide
Leigh Bostic – Clinical Social Worker
10. Ideas to Honor Your Child’s Memory
Holly Warren and Susan Wilkerson
Thank You! 6. Coping with the Physical Symptoms of Grief Dr. Rebecca Smith – Family Medicine
11. Encouragement Cards
Anna Hewett and Judy Orr
© 2011 CTA, Inc.
12. The Mother’s Role in the Healing of the Family
Allyson Helvie – Counselor & Pastor
To RSVP & receive registration brochure, please contact: Cindy: 864-238-6796 • Kathryn: 864-325-3526 Alice Ann: aadholman@gmail.com • Jan: jan@pdtm.us
Deadline to register is March 22. Please understand the seating capacity of the facility determines the size of our group. It is limited to the first 120 women who register.
© 2013 STEI
© 2011 CTA, Inc.
MARCH 8, 2013 | the Journal 7