Behind the pandemic: Analysis of the article on "Position statement of the international network for child and family centered care: Child and family centered care during the COVID19 pandemic".

Dear Editor,

Recently, we read the paper published in Journal of Pediatric Nursing entitled “Position statement of the international network for child and family centered care: Child and family centered care during the COVID19 pandemic” (2021). The aim of this article is present the position of the International Network for Child and Family Centered Care (INCFCC) that the COVID19 pandemic crisis restricts. It is assumed in this position “(…) the families' presence and participation holds more benefits than risks to the health of chilre, their families, and the health care (…) “during pandemic scenario (Al-Motlaq et al., 2021,140).

As a group of researchers on child and family care we write this letter to congratulate the authors and the Journal for this notable work that which highlights the harm that results from limiting family childcare. The reading of this document brought a very elucidative and appropriate approach to the various constraints which are being felt, in the context of the pandemic, both by the child and parents, as well as by the health professionals, and brought important contributions on strategies and recommendations to minimize this problematic.

Recent international research about this specific topic have nominated psychological implications that the pandemic itself triggers in parents - anxiety, uncertainty, worry, concern, frustration, fear, stress and, in more, severe cases depression and post-traumatic stress (Fong & Iarocci, 2021; Russel et al., 2020; Suffren et al., 2021). It can also hinder the bond that is established between the infant and the parents in the neonatal period, which can compromise the promotion of breastfeeding, which is known to be one of the idealized practices for infant feeding and nutrition, with numerous short- and long-term benefits for the infant and mother (Cohen et al., 2018). In this regard, the authors of this article also found that the limitation of visits or of accompanying the child, which will have implications on the family's participation in the child's care leading to feelings of separation anxiety and psychological and emotional distress (Al-Motlaq et al., 2021).

So, how can we guarantee the inclusion of the family in the nursing care of children and young people in hospital settings?

The philosophy of child, youth and family-centered care (CFCC) is the vision of pediatric nursing care and the therapeutic communication a key instrument to nursing practice (Loureiro et al., 2021; Smith, 2018), and Al-Motlaq et al. (2021) have write in this position statement the need to meet staffing levels, access to personal protective equipment and communication with support the technology with family during pandemic crisis.

Nurses knows that the presence of the family with the child throughout the hospitalization facilitates the child's involvement and participation in the care received, reducing levels of stress and anxiety for the child, with the parents' absence. The authors also describe this issue and their implications in health professional education, which an opportunity to create new communication approaches in hospital setting between nurses, children and parents (Al-Motlaq et al., 2021; Ferrari et al., 2021). The strategies used by nurses wearing masks and other personal protective equipment to facilitate verbal and non-verbal communication include involve family (parents/caregivers) are explain to parents the role of play in these circumstances; use a technological dispositive of communication; promoting parental support among other strategies (Al-Motlaq et al., 2021; Carter et al., 2021; Ferrari et al., 2021).

This article underlines the importance of maintaining the CFCC through the implementation of protective measures and safe circuits for the child, family and health professionals.

Author contributions

Conceptualization and formal analysis: CF, ZC

Supervision, validation and visualization: ZC.

Writing - original draft: CF, ZC.

Writing - review & editing: EN, ML, ZC.

Funding

No funding.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.