Managing Pediatric Chronic Illness
and Complex Needs

The hummingbird is a symbol for accomplishing that which seems impossible. It will teach you how to find the miracle of joyful living from your own life circumstances.

Ted Andrews

What are some emotional challenges of chronic illness?

Common concerns…

  •  Is your head spinning with all the medical and/or technical information you were provided about the care required to address the symptoms of a pediatric chronic illness or a new complex care need?

  • Are you finding it difficult to explain a medical condition or complex care need to others?

  • Do you have trouble figuring out how to incorporate daily treatments into your day to day life?

  • Are you struggling with specific procedures, medications, hospitalizations and restrictions in physical activity, or potential absences from school or social activities that are required for appropriate care of the chronic illness or complex need?

  • Do you find it difficult to manage the different roles involved in caring for the medical condition or complex care need?

  • Are you feeling isolated? Is it hard to know what or how much to share when you connect with others? Is it hard to figure out how to even connect with others while managing the complex medical condition?

  • Are you constantly worried about potential future complications of the medical condition, such as unexpected setbacks or rehospitalization?

How can therapy help me?

Therapy can help…

  • provide a safe space to share all your concerns and make it easier to come to terms with the medical condition or complex need

  • Improve your ability to understand or feel comfortable asking questions about medical terms and outcomes related to the medical condition or complex care need

  • Improve your ability to talk to others in a way that identifies support needs or that creates feelings of safety and security

  • Develop coping strategies for dealing with the more challenging aspects and care demands of the medical illness or complex need

  • Encourage pride in your ability to meet care needs in the moment

Finding time for therapy can be hard when you have so many additional medical or therapy appointments to manage; however, individual therapy can help you more easily adjust to any changes communicated during medical or follow up appointments and ultimately improve their effects.

When you engage in therapy you will experience collaborative support, allowing you to identify your support needs and the goals for each session. Therapy will be focused on increasing your emotional well-being and your ability to cope with a medical illness’ or complex need’s mental and physical demands.

Therapy that focuses on evidence-based support strategies can help you improve your family’s engagement in healthy behaviors, medical coping, medication adherence, general self-confidence, and acceptance. 

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