The Pediatrician, the Disabled Child, and the Family: A Special Relationship

Abstract

Sooner or later, every practicing pediatrician will be asked to care for a baby who will be permanently disabled, such as a child with Down syndrome. To some, the request will be an unwelcome burden, to be dealt with as quickly as possible. To others, however, a new baby with a disability challenges the pediatrician to use all of his or her skills over a long period of time, receiving unexpected rewards in the process. The first opportunity to establish a sound relationship comes when the pediatrician must inform the new parents about the diagnosis. The response to such unexpected news is always shock, denial, and guilt, with a healthy dose of anger. The pediatrician, who by nature is sensitive to the special needs of children and their parents, is in an ideal position to deal with the normal grief reaction.