Responding to a Diagnosis
When you have a child whose development is delayed or who has chronic medical problems, not knowing the cause or not having a diagnosis can be frustrating. Once your child has a diagnosis, there will be new feelings to deal with, as well as new experiences for parents and other family members. This page aims to help parents and families with that process.
Within the Medical Home and the Portal
While the Medical Home Portal is not designed to help with making a diagnosis, it does offer resources for the steps that come after learning your child’s diagnosis. Your child’s primary care doctor or medical home provider should be the best resource for helping to determine your child’s diagnosis. See Screening Tests and the Diagnostic Process for more information.
Reactions to and Coping with Diagnosis: An Overview
The evaluation for a suspected chronic health condition is often very hard for parents and family members. It may take weeks or months of testing and evaluations by subspecialists before a diagnosis is made. When a diagnosis is made, parents and family members may often feel shock and disbelief. In some cases, a formal diagnosis is still not identified.
Most doctors make every attempt to give sensitive diagnoses in a compassionate way, but sometimes the way they communicate may lead to parents misunderstanding a child’s condition or not understanding written materials given to them. Parents should review information with their doctor or specialist to make sure they understand potential complications or a prognosis (the likely course or outcome). Parents may have questions about how to cope with their child’s diagnosis on an emotional level. Sometimes the emotional impact of a child’s medical problems can be very difficult for parents and family members.
Common Reactions
- Depending on their age, children may have many of these feelings. Remember to teach them that it is normal to have these feelings and it can be very helpful to talk about it or express themselves.
- Each family member may have a different reaction, which is why it’s important to be patient and understanding with spouses, siblings, grandparents, and others.
- Single parents may find it hard to wade through the emotions surrounding the diagnosis process alone, but it’s important to know that support is available.
- Siblings of a child with a chronic or terminal illness often have many of the same reactions as parents. Siblings have a special bond with one another and when one isn’t well, the other(s) may be deeply concerned. Siblings may also experience a kind of loss when they realize the thoughts they have about life with their sibling will have to give way to new ideas.
- Talking about reactions and experiences with support groups or professionals can be very helpful, not only for parents, but also for siblings, and even extended family members. The first step in accepting a diagnosis in the family is learning that parents and family members are not alone in their experiences. The next step is learning how to cope and thrive.
Coping and Thriving
The Relationship between You and Your Child’s Primary Care Doctor
The role of the primary care doctor for a child with special health care needs is very important. It is necessary to form a working relationship with your child’s doctor, as he will be responsible for providing health care, information about your child’s diagnosis and treatments, coordinating the care provided by others, and supporting you as parent and caregiver. Make sure you are comfortable with your child’s primary care doctor as a medical expert and as someone you can communicate with and trust. Building a medical home involves parents, doctors, and other care providers working together on the child’s behalf.
It’s vital that you take an active role in your child’s health care. Ask questions and make sure to stay informed about your child’s condition and treatment options. It is a good idea to ask your child’s doctor about information you’ve read about the diagnosis, treatments, and other related problems. Even the most committed doctor faces difficulties in keeping up with the latest scientific and practical information, especially about conditions that are rare. Give your doctor time to review material you bring to her before expecting a big discussion. Your doctor and other health care providers should welcome the information you share and appreciate your willingness to help them help your child.
Resources for Medical Information
Much information about specific conditions and their care is offered in the Medical Home Portal’s “Diagnoses and Conditions” section. Although that section is written primarily for doctors, we hope that families will also use the information found there. The menu of the diagnoses for which modules have been developed can be viewed at Diagnoses & Conditions.
Corresponding Diagnoses & Conditions - FAQs are found in the Portal's For Parents & Families section, and aim to provide an introduction to the condition and answer several common questions.
In addition to the Medical Home Portal, the links below can be trusted to offer high quality information.
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MedlinePlus Understanding Medical Words
Information for families that includes description, frequency, causes, inheritance, other names, and additional resources; from the National Library of Medicine. -
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Information for families that includes description, frequency, causes, inheritance, other names, and additional resources; from the National Library of Medicine. -
Healthy Children (AAP)
Offers information and advice about child development, health topics, safety and injury prevention, various medical conditions and educational issues, and parenting; American Academy of Pediatrics. -
National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD)
Information for families that includes synonyms, signs & symptoms, causes, affected populations, related disorders, diagnosis, therapies (both standard and investigational), and support organizations; National Organization of Rare Disorders. -
KidsHealth
KidsHealth is the largest and most-visited site on the web, providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence. This site offers numerous easy-to-read articles on kids' health, written for parents, teens and kids. -
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD)
Includes information about symptoms, inheritance, diagnosis, finding a specialist, related diseases, and support organizations; Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
Where to Go from Here
Parents who have good information about their child's diagnosis and condition are better able to actively participate in the medical home team, ensuring that their child receives the best care possible. The Finding Quality Information page will help in understanding how to find reliable information about how to move along with caring for your child with special health care needs.