Family adaptation in childhood chronic illness: a case report.

When a child is diagnosed with a chronic illness, families adapt by drawing on the perceptions of individual family members, on the family's existing resources, and on new resources. This method of family adaptation has been described by McCubbin and Patterson in their Family Adaptation Model. The Family Adaptation Model is illustrated through a case study of a family's experience with type I diabetes. The model and case study yield a list of nursing assessments and interventions for families with a chronically ill child.