Psychological Support for Families of Children with Retinopathy of Prematurity

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the world. It is a little-mentioned and little-known disease in educational contexts. Its treatment is limited to the clinical setting, and there is little research on the negative psychological impact on the families of children with this diagnosis. Various strategies have been developed, such as prevention, screening, timely treatment, rehabilitation, and educating and informing parents about the disease. All these actions have led to a decrease in the incidence in Cuba, an indicator of the quality of health care provided to preterm newborns. However, the multidisciplinary team's work places greater importance on clinical care and rehabilitation, which leaves psychological care for children and their families neglected. When those involved have the necessary tools, knowledge of the disease, and psychological support, the progress and favorable evolution of patients and parents become noticeable. Hence the importance of understanding the usefulness of psychological support for these families; it also provides multiple benefits in terms of mental health. For this reason, it was decided to conduct a literature review to explore the advantages of psychological support as a treatment for families.