Experiences shared through the interviews from fifteen mothers of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

The study utilized an interview format to examine the difficulties experienced by mothers of children with cerebral palsy. Interviews were conducted in the province of Zonguldak between December 2013 and February 2014, Turkey, at a special rehabilitation center with 15 children with cerebral palsy and their mothers registered at the center. A voice recorder was used during the interviews, but since the mothers expressed their unwillingness to have their voices recorded during the interviews when they talked about their sexual lives, face to face interviews were held in a suitable physical environment without the use of a recorder. A semi-structured questionnaire was used during the interviews. The couples are troubled with many difficulties that include personal relations, social and economic problems, as well as issues involving the sick child's care and education. Many difficulties that include personal relations, social and economic problems, as well as issues involving the sick child's care and education, trouble couples with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. In connection with these difficulties, it was also seen that the situation took a toll on the sexual lives of parents. In the light of these findings, our recommendation is that rehabilitation centers catering to the education of children with cerebral palsy should have qualified nurses on hand to provide a professional approach to reviewing the difficulties mothers face and emphasizing the importance of sexuality.