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Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 18, No. 8, 1075-1083 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1049732308320112

Living in a World of Our Own: The Experience of Parents Who Have a Child With Autism

Roberta L. Woodgate

University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Christine Ateah

University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Loretta Secco

Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada

In this article, we discuss findings of a hermeneutic phenomenological study that sought to describe the experiences of parents who have a child with autism. Qualitative interviews were conducted with parents from 16 families of children with autism residing in a western Canadian province. "Living in a world of our own" emerged as the essence of the parents' experiences. In "living in a world of our own," parents described a world of isolation. Three themes representing the essential challenging elements of the parents' experiences included vigilant parenting, sustaining the self and family, and fighting all the way. Although much is known about the fundamental importance of support to parents of children with chronic conditions and/or disabilities, findings from this study indicate that knowledge has not been adequately transferred to the care of children with autism.

Key Words: autism • children • families, caregiving • parenting • phenomenology


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