Perceptions of children’s siblings hospitalized for chronic disease

Background: The daily family life of a child with chronic disease changes according to the illness’s demands. The siblings of these children may receive less attention from both parents, as well as from the rest of the family, who may focus more on the sick child and not in a similar way on the healthy sibling. Objectives: To compile perceptions of siblings of children hospitalized due to chronic disease. Methodology: Siblings of children diagnosed with chronic diseases, aged between 8 and 16 years, participated in the study. We used open interviews, recording, transcribing, and submitting them to analysis. Results: We were able to interview only four siblings. In the interviews’ analysis, four categories of results (Coping with the sibling’s disease; Family restructuring, Experiences resulting from the sibling’s hospitalization; and Experiences of exclusion) emerged. Conclusion: The siblings of children with chronic diseases live in a situation of vulnerability and exclusion, demonstrate difficulties in dealing with their perceptions and feelings, which proves it is essential to involve the sibling in the nursing process