A Family Centered Approach to Ambiguous Loss in Pediatric Brain Injury and Disorders of Consciousness - (2024)

Following a pediatric brain injury, the entire family system is impacted. Siblings and caregivers of the patients often experience many changes, which can lead to feelings of grief and loss. Although the patient may be physically present, due to recovery or disorders of consciousness, ambiguous loss is commonly experienced. Certified Child Life Specialists can apply our knowledge of loss and grief to support siblings of patients who have suffered a brain injury.  Concurrently, social workers support caregivers coping with uncertainty and grief. This presentation will help participants apply the concepts of ambiguous loss to pediatric brain injuries and disorders of consciousness. Participants will understand common grief responses in siblings and caregivers of patients with a brain injury and disorder of consciousness, and various interventions to support a family’s grief processes.  Participants will recognize psychosocial support across the multidisciplinary team as an invaluable aspect of family-centered care.

Suggested Domain: Intervention

1.5 PDU

Learning Objective(s):

- Participants will be able to understand pediatric brain injuries and disorders of consciousness and apply the concepts of ambiguous loss. 

- Participants will be able to identify unique challenges faced by siblings of patients with brain injuries and disorders of consciousness and identify 3 interventions to promote resiliency and post-traumatic growth.

- Participants will be able to identify unique challenges faced by caregivers of patients with brain injuries and disorders of consciousness and identify a multidisciplinary approach to supporting caregivers’ coping.

Please note: All webinar contents and its certificate will expire on 10/23/2027 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificate for their records prior to 10/23/2027.