Changing the culture of care for children and adolescents with functional neurological disorder.

Kozlowska, K; Sawchuk, T; Waugh, JL; Helgeland, H; Baker, J; Scher, S; Fobian, AD

Changing the culture of care for children and adolescents with functional neurological disorder.

Kozlowska, K Sawchuk, T Waugh, JL Helgeland, H Baker, J Scher, S Fobian, AD

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Publisher:: Elsevier BV
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Epilepsy & behavior reports, 2021, 16, pp. 100486
Issue Date:: 2021-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kozlowska, K
dc.contributor.author	Sawchuk, T
dc.contributor.author	Waugh, JL
dc.contributor.author	Helgeland, H
dc.contributor.author	Baker, J
dc.contributor.author	Scher, S
dc.contributor.author	Fobian, AD
dc.date.accessioned	2022-02-16T02:22:33Z
dc.date.available	2022-02-16T02:22:33Z
dc.date.issued	2021-01
dc.identifier.citation	Epilepsy & behavior reports, 2021, 16, pp. 100486
dc.identifier.issn	2589-9864
dc.identifier.issn	2589-9864
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154587
dc.description.abstract	As members of a multidisciplinary team of professionals who treat children and adolescents with functional neurological (conversion) disorder (FND), we highlight the pressing need to develop an FND-informed culture of care that takes into account recent advances in our understanding of this group of patients. Stories of clinical encounters in health care settings from around the world-told by children and adolescents with FND, their parents, and health professionals-portray an outdated culture of care characterized by iatrogenic stigma, erosion of empathy and compassion within the clinician-patient relationship, and a lack of understanding of FND and its complex neurobiology. After a brief exploration of the outdated culture, we share our <i>counterstories</i>: how we and our colleagues have worked, and continue to work, to create an FND-informed culture in the health systems where we practice. We discuss the therapeutic use of child-friendly language. We also discuss a range of structural, educational, and process interventions that can be used to promote FND-informed beliefs and attitudes, FND-informed clinician-patient encounters, and FND-informed referral processes, treatment pathways, and therapeutic interventions.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier BV
dc.relation.ispartof	Epilepsy & behavior reports
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100486
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Changing the culture of care for children and adolescents with functional neurological disorder.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	16
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-02-16T02:22:22Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	16

Abstract:

As members of a multidisciplinary team of professionals who treat children and adolescents with functional neurological (conversion) disorder (FND), we highlight the pressing need to develop an FND-informed culture of care that takes into account recent advances in our understanding of this group of patients. Stories of clinical encounters in health care settings from around the world-told by children and adolescents with FND, their parents, and health professionals-portray an outdated culture of care characterized by iatrogenic stigma, erosion of empathy and compassion within the clinician-patient relationship, and a lack of understanding of FND and its complex neurobiology. After a brief exploration of the outdated culture, we share our counterstories: how we and our colleagues have worked, and continue to work, to create an FND-informed culture in the health systems where we practice. We discuss the therapeutic use of child-friendly language. We also discuss a range of structural, educational, and process interventions that can be used to promote FND-informed beliefs and attitudes, FND-informed clinician-patient encounters, and FND-informed referral processes, treatment pathways, and therapeutic interventions.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154587