Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families最新文献

{"title":"The life situation of a family with a chronically ill child and the family's experience of support provided by healthcare professionals in Finland","authors":"Hanna Seppänen MHSc ,&nbsp;Anna-Maija Koivisto MSc ,&nbsp;Jari Kylmä PhD ,&nbsp;Tuija Leppäkoski PhD ,&nbsp;Tarja Heino-Tolonen ,&nbsp;Eija Paavilainen PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chronic illness in children elicits emotions within the family, impacts family bonds, and reshapes family dynamics. Support from healthcare professionals is vital for facilitating family adaptation. The aim of this study is to describe the life situation of Finnish families with a chronically ill child and to enhance understanding of the types of support the families perceive.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data were collected in Finland as part of an international research project (2021−2023). 76 parents of chronically ill children completed an electronic survey. Analyses, conducted using IBM SPSS 29, included descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The ICE-FPSQ instrument assessed perceived support, generating composite variables for overall, emotional, and cognitive support. Association of background variables and adaptation with composite scores were examined using the Mann-Whitney <em>U</em> test.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Life situation: Among respondents, 54.7 % (<em>n</em> = 41) reported that the illness strains their family, and 47.4 % (<em>n</em> = 36) noted it has changed them as a family. However, 81.5 % (<em>n</em> = 62) felt the experience improved their coping abilities.</div><div>Support from healthcare professionals: The median ICE-FPSQ composite score was 37 (<em>n</em> = 71, Q1 = 28, Q3 = 44; range: 14–70). For cognitive support, the median was 16 (Q1 = 12, Q3 = 18; range: 5–25), and for emotional support, it was 20 (Q1 = 14.3, Q3 = 26.5; range: 9–45). Mothers perceived receiving less support than fathers, and the child's hospitalization increased the perceived amount of support.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Chronic illness places a considerable burden on families. Healthcare professionals can support families in adapting to life with a child who has a chronic illness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 311-318"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Caregiver competence in pediatric eye drop administration: An observational study","authors":"Yawen Mo ,&nbsp;Zhihong Xu ,&nbsp;Huiming Xiao ,&nbsp;Xinping Yu ,&nbsp;Huiting Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenmin Huang ,&nbsp;Lingling Gao ,&nbsp;Yinghuan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to assess competence in eye-drop administration technique among caregivers of children with eye conditions and their reported education on eye-drop administration.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among caregivers of children aged ≤14 years in an ophthalmology clinic. Caregivers completed self-administered questionnaires and demonstrated their eye-drop technique.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 186 caregivers, more than one-third were not competent. The most common performance problems were not washing hands before administration (68.2 %), not holding the bottle tip over the eye (60.7 %), not closing the eye after administration (58.1 %). Risk factors associated with eye drop administration include the child's age, perceived difficulty, and no experience. Experience with eye drop administration was a protective factor. Only 27.4 % of caregivers reported receiving education on eye drop administration. Video was the preferred format for education.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>One-third of caregivers were not competent in eye drop administration which may contribute to reduced drug efficacy, compromised treatment outcomes, delayed recovery, or increased risk of complications. Instructional videos that address common mistakes in administration may help address these issues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 261-267"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The outcomes of a structured bowel management programme on childhood functional constipation: a retrospective pre – post intervention study","authors":"Gunilla Flankegård ,&nbsp;Peter Wide ,&nbsp;Evalotte Mörelius","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aim</h3><div>The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of a six-month structured bowel management programme (SBMP) for children with therapy-resistant functional constipation (FC).</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A retrospective review of medical records with a pre-post design was conducted at an outpatient paediatric clinic in Sweden. Bowel frequency, stool form, faecal incontinence, and abdominal pain were compared before and after the intervention. Predictive factors for successful discharge and duration of care through long-term follow-up were calculated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 142 children enrolled in the SBMP, 132 completed the programme. Despite previous FC therapy resistance, the SBMP achieved a treatment success rate of 44 % within 6 months, and 58 % after 12 months. The need for additional contacts beyond those scheduled and persistent faecal leakage were significant predictors of non-recovery. Long-term follow-ups indicate that after 2 years of care, approximately 80 % of the children achieved recovery.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the effectiveness of the SBMP in managing therapy-resistant FC in children at a general outpatient paediatric clinic, while also emphasising the necessity of long-term follow-up for sustainable results.</div></div><div><h3>Implications to practice</h3><div>The results suggest that a structured care programme like the SBMP helps set realistic expectations and ensures consistent quality of care for children with FC, despite the severity and complexities involved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 294-301"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of fear of hypoglycemia on quality of life of children/adolescents with type 1 diabetes- evaluation from the perspectives of children and their parents: A descriptive cross-sectional study","authors":"Nesrin Şen Celasin ,&nbsp;Hasret Yağmur Sevinç Akın ,&nbsp;Duygu Karaarslan ,&nbsp;Özgül Türkmen Balcı","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.05.032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.05.032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>We aimed to determine the effects of sociodemographic characteristics of children with Type 1 diabetes on fear of hypoglycemia and quality of life.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 148 children with Type 1 diabetes aged between 8 and 18 years and their parents. Information Form, Children's Hypoglycemia Fear Survey, University of Virginia Parent Low Blood Sugar Survey, Quality of Life Inventory-children and parents were used in the study.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results of the study demonstrated that as the evaluation of children with Type 1 diabetes, it was observed that the fear of hypoglycemia and school success of children/adolescents affected their quality of life. According to parental assessment, the parents' fear of hypoglycemia, the age, school success and fainting due to hypoglycemia of the child with diabetes affected the child's quality of life.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The fear of hypoglycemia affected the quality of life of children with diabetes negatively, and the factors that caused fear of hypoglycemia and affected the quality of life differed in terms of the perceptions of children and their parents.</div></div><div><h3>Practical implications</h3><div>Nurses identifying mistakes/deficiencies related to hypoglycemia management and cooperating with parents and teachers will ensure effective hypoglycemia management, will decrease children's/adolescents' and their parents' fear of hypoglycemia, and will improve their quality of life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 302-310"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Issues in pediatric nursing and research education","authors":"Tondi M. Kneeland ,&nbsp;Barbara K. Giambra ,&nbsp;Jill F. Kilanowski ,&nbsp;Cynthia LaFond ,&nbsp;Karen Pridham ,&nbsp;Traci Snedden","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Data are lacking regarding institutional, faculty, and programmatic factors potentially influencing development of pediatric nurses and pediatric nurse scientists. Our purpose was to assess nursing school institutional and faculty engagement in pediatric nursing and research education and to describe undergraduate and graduate student exposure to pediatric and research content, as well as barriers to this exposure in accredited colleges of nursing in the United States.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A Qualtrics survey containing 43 items was delivered by email to the leaders of 817 American Association of Colleges of Nursing member schools of nursing. Numbers and percentages of item responses are reported along with narrative analysis of comments and open-ended questions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Primary findings included: (1) shortages of nursing faculty, especially pediatric-focused, (2) limited availability of research experiences in undergraduate and non-PhD graduate programs, (3) relatively small PhD programs with few pediatric-focused projects, and (4) challenges in recruiting undergraduate and graduate pediatric clinical placements. Respondent recommendations included more academic-practice partnerships, enhanced pediatric curriculum, and faculty mentorship.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Pediatric nursing education and research at undergraduate and graduate levels is in a precarious state. There may be a basic lack of understanding and appreciation of the critical nature and importance for the health of the general population of nursing education and research focused on nursing of children. These are fundamental elements, along with leadership, to development of a culture that has the strength and suitability for recruitment, preparation, and support for pediatric nurses at the PhD level to engage in teaching and research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 276-283"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of mothers' socio-demographic factors on self-medication of antimicrobials in under-five children in Egypt: A cross-sectional nursing study","authors":"Amel Attia Abd Elghaffar Moustafa Ph.D, MSN, BSc ,&nbsp;Abeer Abd El-Aziz Madian Ph.D, MSN, BSc ,&nbsp;Rodaina Ahmed Mokbel Ph.D, MSN, BSc ,&nbsp;Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry Ph.D, MSN, BSc ,&nbsp;Marwa Mohamed Ahmed Ouda Ph.D, MSN, BSc","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Self-medication among mothers of under-five years old children poses public health risks, particularly with antimicrobial use. Inappropriate practices can lead to resistance, adverse reactions, and poor child health outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To investigate socio-demographic factors affecting self-medication antimicrobial therapy for minor ailments among mothers of under-five children.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in eight governmental primary healthcare facilities.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data were collected from 400 mothers selected through multistage sampling. A structured interview questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics and reported practices regarding antimicrobial use.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Only 42 % of mothers demonstrated satisfactory antimicrobial practices. Unsatisfactory practices were significantly associated with lower educational attainment, rural residence, larger family size, lack of health insurance, and low income. Protective factors included higher education, medium to high income, and nuclear family structure. Common reasons for self-medication were repeated symptoms (47.8 %) and prior experience (47 %). The primary conditions for antimicrobial use were sore throat (41.2 %) and common cold (32.3 %). Risk factors for poor practices included lack of awareness regarding appropriate dosing and treatment duration.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Half of the mothers engaged in unsatisfactory antimicrobial self-medication practices, which were associated with socio-demographic and economic disparities. Targeted interventions are essential to address these risk factors and promote rational antimicrobial use.</div></div><div><h3>Nursing implications</h3><div>Nurses play a vital role in educating mothers on appropriate antimicrobial use, addressing socio-demographic barriers, and advocating for policy changes to improve healthcare accessibility. Urgent policy interventions and targeted nursing education are essential to mitigate inappropriate antimicrobial use and improve medication practices among caregivers of children under five.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 251-260"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of empowerment program on mothers' knowledge and home management of febrile convulsion among children under five years: A nurse-led quasi experimental study","authors":"Azza Abdalsemia Elewa PhD, RN ,&nbsp;Daniel Joseph E. Berdida PhD, RN, RM ,&nbsp;Dalia M. Fathy PhD, RN ,&nbsp;Faten Fathi Ahmed Mahfoz PhD, RN","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The lack of mothers' knowledge about febrile convulsion (FC) and how to manage it can lead to improper home management. This investigation determined the effect of empowerment programs on mothers' knowledge and home management practices about FC among children under five years.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>A quasi-experimental design. A government-owned hospital in Egypt was the study setting. 236 mothers and their children with FC were purposively selected. Two instruments were used to collect data: Tool 1 (part 1: participants' characteristics, part 2: mothers' FC knowledge) and Tool 2 (mothers' reported practices regarding FC home management). The Febrile Convulsion Empowerment Program was used as the intervention. The study was conducted between April and October 2024. Data were analyzed utilizing the chi-squared test and Pearson r.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>During FC pre-intervention program, 75 % and 66.50 % of mothers reported poor knowledge and unsatisfactory practices, respectively. Post-intervention, mothers improved their knowledge (85.20 %) and practices (81.40 %). A high statistically significant difference and positive correlations were noted between knowledge and practices of children's FC (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The Febrile Convulsion Empowerment Program appears beneficial to mothers' knowledge and home management practices. This program may be an effective and cost-efficient management of febrile convulsion for children under 5 years. Nurses and health team members caring for this age group may use this program to educate mothers and guide their practices about FC.</div></div><div><h3>Practice implications</h3><div>Healthcare professionals, such as pediatric nurses, may use this empowerment program as an alternative management in preventing FC among children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 284-293"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy intervention on the caregiving burden of mothers of children with chronic conditions: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Marziyeh Mirzalou ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Ebrahimpour ,&nbsp;Fariba Zarani ,&nbsp;Malihe Nasiri","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing caregiving burden among mothers of children with chronic conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Design and methods</h3><div>A clinical trial with a pre-test and pos<em>t</em>-test design was conducted, including 60 mothers of children with chronic conditions selected through convenience sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group completed a six-session asynchronous web-based ACT program, delivered weekly via videos, while the control group received no intervention. Data on caregiving burden were collected before and after the intervention and analyzed for effectiveness.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The ACT intervention significantly reduced caregiving burden among mothers in the intervention group (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), while the caregiving burden in the control group increased over the study period.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an effective intervention for reducing caregiving burden in mothers of children with chronic conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Practice implications</h3><div>The findings support the integration of ACT into nursing practices to achieve family-centered care and improve outcomes for caregivers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 268-275"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mandala coloring reduces anxiety and pain in circumcised children: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Gamze Akay ,&nbsp;Elif Simay Koç ,&nbsp;Hatice Oğuzhan","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Boys often experience significant fear and anxiety before the circumcision procedure, and postoperative pain is linked to increased fear and anxiety in children.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mandala coloring on fear, anxiety, emotional symptoms and postoperative pain of circumcised children.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the pediatric clinic of a state hospital in eastern Turkey. Children were divided into two groups using a computer program: Group 1 (control) included children with no intervention (<em>n</em> = 40), and Group 2 (mandala coloring) included children who received mandala coloring (<em>n</em> = 38). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to assess the normality of the data, the chi-squared test to compare categorical variables between groups, the paired samples <em>t</em>-test for within-group comparisons, the independent samples t-test for between-group comparisons, and mixed model repeated measures ANOVA (rANOVA) to evaluate the temporal changes in pain and anxiety scores across groups.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Children's fear, anxiety, emotional symptom, and postoperative pain scores were similar in all groups before the nursing intervention, and the fear, anxiety, and emotional symptom scores of the mandala painting intervention group were statistically lower than the control group after the nur csing intervention. The pain scores of the children in the mandala coloring group were lower than the control group after surgery.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Mandala coloring intervention can be used to reduce emotional symptoms, fear, anxiety and postoperative pain in children aged 6–12 years undergoing circumcision.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 243-250"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parents’ perceptions on seeking emergency medical care for their child with autism spectrum disorder – a Swedish perspective","authors":"Maria Lundholm Ms, RN ,&nbsp;Anna Stålberg PhD, RN","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Children with autism spectrum disorder seek acute medical care more frequently than neurotypical children. Being in a paediatric emergency department setting places considerable strain on both the children and their parents. Research exploring parental perspectives in this area remains limited, with much of the existing literature originating from North American contexts. This study aimed to explore Swedish parents' perceptions of seeking acute medical care for their children with autism spectrum disorder.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Seventeen parents were interviewed at a paediatric emergency department within a tertiary hospital in the capital region of Sweden. The interviews were analysed using manifest content analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis resulted in the main category <em>Being in a bipartite position</em>, along with three generic categories: <em>A sense of vulnerability</em>, <em>The child's needs are recognised</em>, and <em>A meaningful encounter occurs</em>. The results revealed experiences of vulnerability and exclusion for both parents and children. However, they also conveyed a sense of partnership with healthcare professionals, in which parents felt heard, involved, and that their child was approached in an individualised and pedagogically informed manner.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Parental perceptions of seeking acute medical care for their children with ASD reflected a complex situation and a dual experience of vulnerability and meaningful collaboration. These insights provide valuable knowledge to support the development of a patient- and family-centered approach, enabling healthcare professionals to reduce parental distress and foster effective parent–professional partnerships, while actively involving the child.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 235-242"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144307820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}