Economic Burden and Parenting Stress Managing Special Healthcare Needs Children during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Special healthcare needs refers to any physical, developmental, mental, sensory, behavioural, cognitive, or emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical management, health care intervention, and/or use of specialized services or programs due to limitations in performing daily self-maintenance activities or substantial limitations in a major life activity(1). The definition of special healthcare and people with disability is interchangeable for the similarity of the needs and burden for the individual and their parents. During COVID-19 pandemic, there were two main impacts currently highlighted to the parents of special healthcare needs children. The higher cost of caring special healthcare needs children poses significant economic burden because the total costs often exceed family’s expectation due to the complex care. As noted by studies, having a special healthcare needs child refers to a long-term challenge for parents, no matter what type and degree of disability the special needs children have(2). Further, this issue may contribute to mental health problems among parents with special healthcare needs children.