Physical and Psychosocial Stressors in School Age Children with Hemodialysis

Children with chronic renal failure and treated by haemo- dialysis therapy are subjected to multiple physiological, psychological and social stressors and may be threatened with many potential losses and life style changes. The aim of the study was to identify the physical and psychosocial stressors among children with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. A descriptive design was chosen to conduct this study. A convenience sample of 50 school age children under¬going hemodialysis therapy in Hemodialysis Unit, at El- Monira Children Hospital Cairo University were recruited for this study. Four tools utilized: Socio-demographic sheet, and Hemodialysis Stressor Scale, Egyptian growth curve, and standardize measuring tape, scale, sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. The main physical stressors which occurred sometimes for the majority of children was hypertension. Bone and joints pain always cause psychological stressors which affect the body image of half percent of children. More than half of children complain from parents sadness and suffering from their child illness. Social stressors always developed among less than half of hemodialysis children due to their illness, which prevent them from visiting relatives and peers or make them feel different than peers and preferred to be alone. More than one third of children were always exposed to stressors attribute to difficulty to go to school regularly due to dialysis sessions or fatigue. The study concluded that children undergoing hemodialysis sometimes exposed to multiple physical and psychosocial stressors which affects mainly their life style. The study recommended play and recreational activities for children during dialysis in order to give them opportunity for self expression and to cope with long time dialysis. Hemodialysis sessions should be scheduled around school activities with the least interference as possible.