How to Beat Caregiver Stress Syndrome, Part 1

by jphilo | Mar 12, 2014 | Different Dream, Prevention/Treatment, PTSD

How to Beat Caregiver Stress Syndrome, Part 1

Caregiver stress is a reality for families caring for loved ones. Dr. Charles Bowers, a retired OB/GYN, wants to equip parents of kids with special needs to recognize stress and cope with it. In Part 1 of his 2-part series, Dr. Bowers defines caregiver stress syndrome and lists its symptoms. Tomorrow he’ll be back with suggestions about how to cope with the syndrome and find resources.

How to Beat Caregiver Stress Syndrome, Part 1

The role of caretaker for a loved one is a role that most people never expect to play in the lives of the people they love—at least not to the degree that is often required of them. Many also don’t realize that the role of a caregiver can put their own health—both physically and emotionally—in harm’s way. Caring for any child involves considerable time, energy, love, and patience, but the demands placed on a parent of a special needs child can impact the physical and emotional health of the caregiving parent.

If you are a caregiver for a special needs child, it’s important to know that you are not alone. Caregiver Action Network reports that 14 percent of family caregivers care for a special needs child, with an estimated 16.8 million caring for special needs children under 18 years old. 55 percent of these caregivers are caring for their own children.

Not surprisingly, many of these caregivers are suffering from a condition increasingly known as “caregiver stress syndrome.” To cope with this condition—or better yet, beat it—it is helpful to know what it is and the common symptoms it’s associated with, in addition to applying some practical tips for curtailing it.

What is Caregiver Stress Syndrome?

Building of a strong bond, closeness, and intimacy with your child are just a few of the many rewards for caring for a special needs child. There are also many stressors which can lead to caregiver stress syndrome.

Caregiver stress syndrome is the aptly-named condition often experienced by parents who are caregivers of a special needs child, such as a child who has Down syndrome, autism, or cerebral palsy for example. Dr. Jean Posner, a Baltimore, MD neuropsychiatrist, describes caregiver stress syndrome as a “Debilitating condition brought on by unrelieved, constant caring for a person with a chronic illness or disability.” For parents of a special needs child, it can mean experiencing extreme exhaustion, guilt, or even resentment, in addition to many other symptoms.

Symptoms of Caregiver Stress Syndrome

Many parents in the role of caregiver of a special needs child don’t even realize that they have a recognizable condition. They chalk it up to simply being super busy or being overly tired. However, caregiver stress syndrome is real.
Common symptoms shared by those who have this condition can be divided into two primary categories: physical and emotional.

Physical Symptoms of Caregiver Stress Syndrome

The physical symptoms, if left unchecked, can have long-term consequences to your physical health and emotional well-being, as well as your ability to provide the level of loving care your special needs child requires.

Excessive weight gain or loss
Poor diet and fitness
Sleeping more or less than usual
Inability to concentrate
Frequent headaches
Other health problems

Emotional Symptoms of Caregiver Stress Syndrome

The emotional or psychological symptoms of caregiver stress syndrome may feel alarming to you. Many people who experience these symptoms are often reluctant to discuss them openly.

Guilt
Chronic sadness
Anger
Anxiety
Resentment
Constantly feeling overwhelmed
Constant worry
Alcohol or drug abuse
Shock
Depression

Come Back Tomorrow!

Once again, Dr. Bowers will be back Thursday with suggestions for coping with caregiver stress syndrome and a list of helpful resources.

How to Beat Caregiver Stress Syndrome, Part 2

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Dr. Charles Bowers is a retired OB/GYN with more than three decades of medical experience. He now works as a medical forensics evaluator for Philadelphia-based Ross Feller Casey, LLP.

Author Jolene Philo

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Study Says Raising Kids with Special Needs Creates Parental Stress

Are you surprised to hear that a new study conducted by Case Western Reserve University concluded that parenting a child with chronic special needs creates parental stress? No, I’m not either. Nor is any parent whose raised a child with chronic medical needs. But it’s gratifying to know that Case Western’s review confirms our experience.

What the Parental Stress Study Did

The study, “Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of Children With Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review” assessed 96 peer-reviewed studies in 12 countries between 1980 and 2012. The studies involved parents of kids with asthma, cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, epilepsy, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and/or sickle cell disease. Many of those studies had examined parental stress associated with those specific illnesses, but this was one of the first to integrate everything into one report to provide a broader view.

What the Parental Stress Study Learned

Two of the main findings were that 15% of parents in the United States have chronically ill children with special needs. Researchers also found that the care demands associated with the illnesses caused greater stress than did the severity or length of the child’s illness. The study also noted several causes of stress:

Integrating responsibilities of caring for the chronically ill child (appointments, therapies, treatments, school issues) into the regular family routine.
Watching a child in pain.
Worrying about the child’s vulnerability
Explaining health issues to those outside the family

What Can Be Done About Parental Stress

The study found these three tips can help parents relieve their stress:

Be open to assistance from friends and family
Share special needs parenting responsibilities rather than expect one parent to shoulder them
Talk to the doctor about parental stress

Details of the study can be found at Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of Children With Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review

What Do You Do About Stress?

So, that’s what the Case Western experts say. But how about you, the caregiver of a child who lives with chronic illness. How do you relieve your stress? Leave a comment!

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop-up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Jolene Philo is the author of the Different Dream series for parents of kids with special needs. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. She’s also the creator and host of the Different Dream website. Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and at Amazon. The first book in her cozy mystery series, See Jane Run!, features people with disabilities and will be released in June of 2022.