A Roadmap to Emotional Health for Children and Families With Chronic Pediatric Conditions
Diane Pickles, Stacey Lihn, Thomas F. Boat, Carole Lannon
Abstract
* Abbreviations: ABP — : American Board of Pediatrics MOC — : Maintenance of Certification ### Ms Pickles My son Jake has critical congenital heart disease. In 23 years of complex care at a top-notch hospital, I do not ever remember a doctor asking Jake or myself how we were coping emotionally. But there were many times when my husband and I, and Jake, were not coping well. And although Jake has half a heart, the mental health struggles have been the more painful part of our journey in many ways. It is not enough that Jake has survived; he needs to thrive. ### Ms Lihn In my work with Sisters by Heart, I talk to many parents whose children have congenital heart disease. One evening, I received a call from a mother whose anxiety and depression peaked while she was in inpatient services with her infant daughter. She was desperate, expressing that she felt like jumping off the hospital roof. She had shared her mental health concerns with the children’s hospital staff more than once, never receiving assistance. I validated her stress and sadness and reminded her that she was not alone. On my recommendation, she walked out the hospital doors to the emergency department next door. She was seen by a provider who listened, counseled, and provided emergency treatment. That was 5 years ago, and sadly, little has changed for families of … Address correspondence to Carole Lannon, MD, MPH, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229. E-mail: carole.lannon{at}cchmc.org