RN Nursing Care of Children 2019 With NGN Related

Review RN Nursing Care of Children 2019 With NGN related questions and content

What is an important consideration in understanding the reactions of parents when their infant is born with physical defects?

  • A. Grief lasts until the defects are repaired.
  • B. Denial is a common adaptive reaction.
  • C. The psychologic reaction is similar to that with the death of an infant.
  • D. Reactions of health professionals to the birth of an infant can affect parents' reactions.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: When a parent's infant is born with physical defects, understanding the psychological reactions is crucial. The reaction is often similar to the grief experienced when facing the death of a child. Parents need to grieve for the loss of the expected child and adapt to the needs of a child with physical defects. The grief process typically involves stages like shock, frustration, and anger, which can last for years. Denial during the shock phase is not maladaptive but can help parents cope initially. Additionally, parents are sensitive to the behavior of health professionals, whose interactions can significantly influence the parents' reactions to the infant. Therefore, recognizing the similarity of the psychological reaction to grief is an important consideration in understanding how parents cope with their infant's physical defects.