Stressors Facing Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a static, nonprogressive disorder caused by brain insult or injury in the prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal time period. It the major developmental disability affecting function in children. The present study aimed to identify the stressors facing mothers of children with cerebral palsy. A descriptive design was used. The study was carried out on 100 mothers with cerebral palsy children at Mansoura University Children s Hospital. The data were collected using a structure interview questionnaire sheet developed by the researcher. It included personal and social data about mothers and their children, mothers knowledge about the disease and the stressors that faced mothers with their children. The result of this study revealed that the majority of mothers suffered from stressors related to management followed by psychological stressors, then physical stressors, and social stressors. Training and educational programs for nursing team to help mothers with cerebral palsy children for coping and reducing the stressors facing during treatment of their children were recommended. Conclusion: Stressors related to management were the highest perceived stressors by the mothers of children with cerebral palsy, followed by psychological stressors. Physical and social stressors were the least perceived ones.