Strategies to Ensure Care Becomes Part of the Child’s Daily Life: Process of Mothers Complemented Self-Care for Children With Atopic Dermatitis in Late Infancy

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the process of caregiver-supplemented self-care needed for children with atopic dermatitis during late infancy.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 mothers of children who were aged 3–11 years and diagnosed with atopic dermatitis in infancy. Data were analyzed using the grounded theory approach.

Results: Mothers continued to “dialogue with the child as he/she is,” and repeated “strategies to ensure care becomes part of the child’s daily life,” “daring to create a void” and “readjustment of the complement,” which led to the development of their children’s self-care skills by adjusting the complementary care.

Conclusion: Expanding a child’s self-care abilities in late infancy is challenging and requires sustained support for mothers to integrate care into child’s daily life, adopt the perspective of “creating a daring void” to adjust retention and release of care while considering atopic dermatitis symptoms. Support that can expand both child’s self-care and the mother’s ability to provide effective care is essential.