Stress to Strength: Dr. Schaaf and colleagues initiate a program to support caregivers
It is common knowledge that parents and caregivers of children with developmental disorders experience a high level of anxiety, pessimism and many other negative emotions. So, they become prone to many physiological and psychiatric health conditions which in turn negatively impacts their ability as caregivers.
Unfortunately, the way healthcare is set up today, most of the professional medical care is focused on the sick child and parents receive very little emotional support.
Recognizing this need, Texas Children’s Hospital has initiated a series of workshops titled, “Stress to Strength” that aims to provide a much-needed support network for the caregivers and also equips them with life skills on how to emotionally care for themselves while being excellent caregivers themselves. Within a few months of inception, it has already proved to be a huge success among parents and caregivers.
Dr. Christian Schaaf, assistant professor at the department of molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine/NRI and a child neurologist at Texas Children’s Hospital along with his colleagues modeled this innovative program after Positive Adult Development (PAD), a Vanderbilt University curriculum course.
The next series of workshops will be held in November. To participate in the program, please contact Dr. Susan Fernbach (832-822-4182; sdfernba@texaschildrens.org).