HEALTH-RELATED FAMILY QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN A CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON HAS A DISABILITY

Parents of a child or young person with disability face not only the same challenges as parents of typically developing children and young people, but also the extra challenges of supporting the child or young person with disability in such a way as to maximise both their own quality of life (QOL) and family quality of life (FQOL) for all family members. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) encompasses not only physical health but also mental and emotional health, equally important for FQOL. This article builds on information from previous publications, and illustrates relevant issues and the innovative methods parents, caregivers, and professionals have devised to enhance the HRQOL for children and young people with disability, and to improve FQOL. The author draws upon her personal lived experiences of having two daughters, the eldest an adult with disability, as well as being the medical consultant and manager of a newly created health unit tasked with supporting students with disability, who often have high health needs, in educational settings. The health conditions selected are those that have a major impact, not only on the young person with disability but also on family members. Vignettes, all deidentified true stories, will be included to illustrate the multiple issues faced by children and young people with disability, their families and extended families, and treating clinicians. These stories will hopefully resonate with families in particular.