¿Conocen los profesionales las necesidades de los padres de niños con patología del desarrollo? (Do professionals understand the needs of parents of children with developmental disorders?)

Many studies have described the impact on families of children with developmental disorders, which cause a wide range of intense emotional responses in the parents and involve a difficult readjustment period regarding family dynamics. Providing parents with emotional and psychological support forms part of the work of the psychologist who specializes in childhood developmental disorders, because this type of intervention will improve the parents’ quality of attention and the stability of the children. Thus, the parent´s needs must be understood and the importance that they give to these needs. Valid tools must be developed to guide professionals during the evaluation of these families and interventions. Using a descriptive crosssectional design that includes parents and professionals, this article describes and compares the needs of this population. A total of 37 parents with children with a developmental disorder were interviewed, as well as 20 professionals from different schools and child intervention centres. The results suggest that both groups agree on the needs of the parents, but not on the importance that they give to them