Repercussions on the family from the birth and care of children with multiple disabilities: a qualitative meta-synthesis

Multiple disabilities in children, present in various syndromes, involve physical, economic, and social problems and affect the parents of these children and their families. The attempt to learn more about this problem from a qualitative perspective gave rise to the current study's objective, namely to identify and summarize the scientific literature on the repercussions on the family from the birth and care of a child with multiple disabilities. This is a qualitative meta-synthesis of data from Scopus, PsycInfo, and SciELO, using the following descriptors: qualitative; children with disabilities; parent-child relations; family relations; and caregivers. The data were analyzed in three stages according to the method proposed by Noblit & Hare: extraction of first-order concepts; production of second-order concepts; and interpretative synthesis. After the search and eligibility process, eight studies were included, from which emerged six second-order concepts: social restriction; strain on family relations; feelings of affliction; financial instability; changes in the family dynamics; and stress to health and wellbeing. Three syntheses were developed, based on these concepts: disability and ideal parenthood; burden of care; and family redefinitions and adaptations. The studies showed that parents and families experience difficulties resulting from social representations of multiple disabilities and the burden of care (health problems, limitations to other activities, increased financial costs, and changes in the family's routine). They also indicate that these elements invade and can interfere in family and social relations.