Seeking help for a sick child

(Re-ACT Talks: The Effect of Criticism on Parents with Sick Children.)

"In the early years of their child`s life," says Dr Sarah Neill, "Every parent will come across this dilemma: do I or don`t I seek help?"

"Parents try to balance doing the right thing for their child with doing the right thing in the eyes of those from whom they may seek help."

"This is quite difficult to do. They are worried about missing serious illness but, at the same time, they do not want to use services inappropriately."

 

"The desire to avoid criticism, felt or enacted, is the primary motivator for decision making in acute childhood illness, apart from parents` obvious concern for the child`s health."

(Neill 2010, Neill et al 2013, Spence & Neill 2013)