Parents of kids who need complex medical care at home tend to resolve frequent safety issues on their own, study finds

Approximately 1 in 20 U.S. children younger than 18 years of age are medically complex, meaning they have multiorgan system conditions like cerebral palsy and depend on implanted tube-related medical technology. These children receive most of their care at home, with parents responsible for handling complicated devices and managing intricate medication and nutrition regimens.

In doing so, parents commonly encounter safety challenges, and they tend to come up with creative solutions without the care team's involvement, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in the journal Pediatrics.