PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis is a fatal and heritable disease of the white race, which is characterized by the excretion of viscous mucus in various glands of the human body, resulting in their gradual destruction, which eventually leads to death. Purpose: of this study was to focus on psychosocial issues of the disease and especially on the psychosocial approach to children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis. Methodology: The study was based on bibliographic searching in Greek and international databases like: google scholar, mednet, pubmed with the keywords: «cystic fibrosis», «life quality», «nursing care», «childhood», «mental illness». The bibliographic review took place during 2000-2016. Results: According to the results of the studies, though children, although at the initial stage of the disease are protected by their mothers, however, they feel intense anxiety, despair, helplessness, isolation, stress, emotional instability, communication difficulties, aversion to problem solving and a refusal to accept the disease, resulting in their non-compliance and their parents being faithfully adhered to medication. At the same time, in a more advanced stage of the disease, they show increased levels of depression, anger, dysfunction, social withdrawal, attachment, sleep disturbances, decreased appetite, low physical appearance, poor school performance, self-esteem and difficulty in managing their emotions with deprivation of social relationships which makes their psychosocial adjustment difficult for themselves and their families. Conclusion: Proper education and counseling interventions provided by the nursing stuff is vital because it helps not only the patient but also the family. This is the reason why there should be more education and specialization on the psychological issues and psychosocial approaches in children and adolescents who suffer of cystic fibrosis