Challenges Experienced by Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy during the Movement Control Order (Lockdown) in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

Background and Purpose: Following the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Malaysia, the Malaysian government had imposed a Movement Control Order (MCO) on 16 March 2020 as a measure to curb the outbreak. Consequently, all non-essential affairs were suspended and operated fully on a work-from-home basis, when schools were temporarily closed, and citizens were urged to stay at home. Despite a high number of studies on the negative impacts of MCO to various sectors, there is a little concern noted for the potential impacts on vulnerable populations, including parents with special kids such as cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the burdens and difficulties associated with the experience of caring for children with CP during the MCO Methodology: This study was designed as qualitative research. Twenty-six participants were selected using a purposive sampling method to involve in in-depth interviews. They were the parents who joined the Cerebral Palsy Support Group in Terengganu, Malaysia. The interview responses were thematically analyzed using a content analysis method. Findings: Four main themes were revealed from the thematic analysis, namely emotional distress, worry over postponement of therapy and medical consultation, burn out due to work from home, and conditions of the CP children themselves. The findings indicated that both mothers, either working or housewife, experienced depression and deterioration in physical health and psychosocial emotions. Contributions Interventions in the forms of financial aids, guidance for CP children self-therapy at home, and emotional supports are urgently needed to ensure mothers and their CP children maintain their quality of life despite the MCO.