Impact on and coping behaviours of a Chinese mother with a child suffering from developmental dysplasia of the hip Ming-Ling Chao and Vico C. Chiang This case study was conducted to investigate the impact on a mother with a child suffering from developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and the behaviours she adopted to cope with the situation. The data were collected through participant observation and follow-up telephone interviews for six months during the period beginning from the child’s hospitalisation for surgery. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that impacts on the mother in relation to the care of her child included: (1) shock of the diagnosis; (2) fear from potential risk of surgery; (3) feeling of loss and anger for the unexpected; (4) uncertainty and anxiety about the future; and (5) excessive and uncontrollable emotions. In addition, the study discovered the mother’s coping behaviours which included: (1) seeking out for family support; (2) actively learning about medical knowledge and nursing skills; (3) actively interacting with the child and meeting the child’s special needs; (4) enlisting appropriate spouse participation; and (5) maintaining a positive outlook. The results provide an informative insight into the mother’s view about herself while caring for her child and about the role that the nurse plays as an agent to help the mother to obtain medical and nursing information, increase confidence and mobilise her resources.  c 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Editor’s comment Different countries develop health care at different rates and within diverse cultures. Although diagnostic techniques for DDH in many countries are well developed and thus the need for surgery is now minimal, this is not always the case. This study focuses on the meaning to a mother of the late diagnosis of her son with DDH. It draws very few conclusions and offers little from a theoretical perspective but is powerful in its empathy and laying bare the thoughts and feelings of the mother. From a better understanding, orthopaedic nurses should be more able to support a mother and baby with this condition. PD KEY WORDS: developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), mother, child, impact, coping behaviours INTRODUCTION Parents appear to have great expectations for their babies from early pregnancy. They imagine the baby’s appearance and dream of a healthy, lively child with a bright future. Giving birth to a healthy child is stressful enough for a mother. However, it is significantly more stressful if the ORIGINAL ARTICLE Ming-Ling Chao RN, BN, MN, PhD Candidate (Newcastle, NSW) Lecturer Yuanpei University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. Vico C. Chiang RN, BN, GDMS, MHA (Lecturer) School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW, Australia. Correspondence to: Vico C. Chiang School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Tel.: +61-2-4921-6334; Fax: +61-2-4921-7069; E-mail: Vico.Chiang@ newcastle.edu.au Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing (2003) 7, 176–183 ª 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.joon.2003.08.001