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Quality of Life of Families of Early Aged Children with Disabilities
with disabilities represents a serious new reality and has a strong stressful in-
fluence (Juhásová 2015; Hrnjica 2011). After a stressful situation and an initial
shock that undoubtedly occurs upon knowledge of a diagnosis indicating
that the child will have serious disorders in growth and development (Emer-
son 2003; Florian and Findler 2001; Hedderly, Baird and McConachie 2003;
Osmančević-Katkić, Lang-Morović and Kovačić 2017; Rentinck et al. 2009) par-
ents enter the phase of adaptation to the new situation that requires the re-
construction of both family and their personal identities. This adaptation im-
plies solving the task of cognitive and emotional diagnosis procession, its
implications on further development of a child and the future functioning
of the family (Axelsson, Granlund, and Wilder 2013; Barnett et al. 2003). Re-
search conducted in our country suggests relatively high percentage of par-
ents who are unresolved towards diagnosis (Mihić et al. 2016). They did not
fully understand and accepted the factual situation. A parent who has ac-
cepted a diagnosis with all its implications can be realistic in relation to the
child’s health and abilities. He/she can recognize the possibilities and limita-
tions of the child, successfully align his parental role with the child’s needs
and be sensitive towards the needs of the child. If the parent has not re-
solved his/her dilemmas in relation to the child’s diagnosis, he/she makes no
progress over time, but focuses on the moment of learning and is emotion-
ally overwhelmed, which leads to unrealistic expectations of the child and
lower quality of care (Marvin and Pianta 1996 in Rajić and Mihić 2015, 139).
Whether and to what extent, the experience of the birth of a child with
developmental disability will be traumatic, and the way the next phase in
establishing relationship with the child will be resolved, depend on a num-
ber of factors. The most important factors affecting the acceptance of the
newly emerging situation are the ‘type and severity of developmental disor-
der, emotional characteristics of the child (calmness, irritability), emotional
stability of family members, the quality of interpersonal relations within the
family, motivation of the family to overcome difficulties, etc.’ (Hrnjica 2011,
72). This points to the fact that being a parent of a child with developmen-
tal disabilities is significantly more demanding compared to the parenting
of children of typical development since it is burdened with factors such are
specific needs of the child, increased demands related to additional health
care, as well as taking responsibility for making important decisions concern-
ing the future of the child (Brown et al. 2003).
Both our and worldwide experiences and research suggest that the birth
of a child with developmental disability often changes the current function-
ing and quality of life of all family members. The influence of developmental
disturbance on various aspects of family life – household, recreation, social-
213
with disabilities represents a serious new reality and has a strong stressful in-
fluence (Juhásová 2015; Hrnjica 2011). After a stressful situation and an initial
shock that undoubtedly occurs upon knowledge of a diagnosis indicating
that the child will have serious disorders in growth and development (Emer-
son 2003; Florian and Findler 2001; Hedderly, Baird and McConachie 2003;
Osmančević-Katkić, Lang-Morović and Kovačić 2017; Rentinck et al. 2009) par-
ents enter the phase of adaptation to the new situation that requires the re-
construction of both family and their personal identities. This adaptation im-
plies solving the task of cognitive and emotional diagnosis procession, its
implications on further development of a child and the future functioning
of the family (Axelsson, Granlund, and Wilder 2013; Barnett et al. 2003). Re-
search conducted in our country suggests relatively high percentage of par-
ents who are unresolved towards diagnosis (Mihić et al. 2016). They did not
fully understand and accepted the factual situation. A parent who has ac-
cepted a diagnosis with all its implications can be realistic in relation to the
child’s health and abilities. He/she can recognize the possibilities and limita-
tions of the child, successfully align his parental role with the child’s needs
and be sensitive towards the needs of the child. If the parent has not re-
solved his/her dilemmas in relation to the child’s diagnosis, he/she makes no
progress over time, but focuses on the moment of learning and is emotion-
ally overwhelmed, which leads to unrealistic expectations of the child and
lower quality of care (Marvin and Pianta 1996 in Rajić and Mihić 2015, 139).
Whether and to what extent, the experience of the birth of a child with
developmental disability will be traumatic, and the way the next phase in
establishing relationship with the child will be resolved, depend on a num-
ber of factors. The most important factors affecting the acceptance of the
newly emerging situation are the ‘type and severity of developmental disor-
der, emotional characteristics of the child (calmness, irritability), emotional
stability of family members, the quality of interpersonal relations within the
family, motivation of the family to overcome difficulties, etc.’ (Hrnjica 2011,
72). This points to the fact that being a parent of a child with developmen-
tal disabilities is significantly more demanding compared to the parenting
of children of typical development since it is burdened with factors such are
specific needs of the child, increased demands related to additional health
care, as well as taking responsibility for making important decisions concern-
ing the future of the child (Brown et al. 2003).
Both our and worldwide experiences and research suggest that the birth
of a child with developmental disability often changes the current function-
ing and quality of life of all family members. The influence of developmental
disturbance on various aspects of family life – household, recreation, social-
213
