Logopedics, Vol. 5 No. 2, 2015.
Professional paper
Experiences and satisfaction of parents of children born with orofacial clefts with the support provided in Croatian systems of health and social care
Antonija Blaži
orcid.org/0000-0001-9894-9940
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet (studentica)
Bernarda Kolarić
orcid.org/0000-0002-2897-7492
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet (studentica)
Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of parents of children born with orofacial clefts as well as parents’ satisfaction with the support provided in Croatian systems of health and social care. The sample consisted of 63 parents whose children were born with cleft lip and palate. Participants were asked to provide their perspectives regarding the methods provided in health and social care for their children and possibilities for improvement. Results indicate that parents feel that experts in this area are not sufficiently empathic. Further, they are dissatisfied with the availability of speech and language support, the failure of their doctor to refer their child to speech and language therapy, insufficient advice regarding the feeding process and a lack of systematicity in achieving social rights. Based on the findings, we can conclude that there is ample space for improving health and social care for this group. Specifically, medical staff need to be better informed about orofacial cleavages and the needs of parents and children. In addition, a larger number of speech and language pathologists should be available to work in the rehabilitation of these children from early age. Finally, it would be useful to create a network of teams working with people with cleft and lip palate throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia.
Keywords
orofacial clefts; parents; children; health, psychological and speech and language professional care
Hrčak ID:
150402
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2015.
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