The impact of parental attitudes toward sensitivity to pain in a child suffering from cancer or an allergic disease

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the severity of pain perception in pediatric patients in relation to parental attitudes. In the study group, patients were diagnosed with a tumor or an allergic disease including atopic dermatitis. Parental attitudes were studied in physical and mental terms of the functioning of the child in the family. All variables were assessed based on subjective evaluation by children from the perspective of their feelings and functionality.

Material and methods: Research consisted of single, anonymous PCR questionnaires and the study of pain intensification was graded using the VAS scale. The research group comprised twenty-five children with a tumor in the age range of 12-17.5 and twenty-one children with allergic diseases (atopic dermatitis and asthma).

Results: The results revealed significantly higher levels of pain in children with a tumor as compared to children with allergic diseases (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the intensity of the adopted attitude did not differ among the children with either type of the disease, except the attitude of rejection where the intensity was significantly higher among the children with allergic diseases (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The level of pain felt by children with cancer is worse than that of children with an allergic disease. An attitude of rejection is more predominant in mothers and fathers when their child is suffering from an allergic disease than in parents with a child suffering from cancer. The level of pain perceived is correlated with an increased attitude of rejection but also an increase in the father’s attitude of love. The change of adopted attitude does not differ significantly (except for rejection) between the parents of children with cancer and allergic diseases.