Communication from the news of the birth of a child with Down Syndrome: the effect of a discouraging prediction

Abstract

Objective: to know how health workers give the news of the birth of a child with Down syndrome (ds). Methodology: qualitative, ethnographic. Involved 20 mothers and one grandmother were semistructured interviews and field observations. Results: the news of the birth of the child with ds occurs in a cold, dehumanized, from an unresolved disability. Discussions: mothers perceived health workers disregard for their circumstances. Most will convey the idea of an abnormal child with a disability that will create many problems. The way that mother receive the news is not conducive to meeting with the child, and puts in uncertainty the future vision of mother-child relationship. Conclusions: the health academically untrained to break the news of the birth of a child with ds and sensitivity to support her in meeting her son. Recommendations: to prepare students in the areas of health to provide different types of news in humanizing environment in which it has much value as the biological and social psicoafective

Keywords

• Down Syndrome
• news
• parenting
• mothers
• medical training