Psychological Adjustments for Hirschsprung’s Disease

Hirschsprung Disease Occurring once in approximately 5000 live births, Hirschsprung disease is a congenital abnormality characterized by the absence of autonomic parasympathetic ganglion cells in the colon preventing peristalsis and resulting in intestinal obstruction and abdominal distension. Also known as congenital aganglionic megacolon, this medical malady is an unfortunate anomaly of a very vulnerable population – infants and children. Hirschsprung disease can occur in otherwise healthy babies, but is commonly diagnosed in combination with Down’s syndrome and congenital heart defects. Functional outcomes, thanks to contemporary medical advances, are generally successful. As medical professionals, nurses play a significant role in helping patients achieve therapeutic goals. Therapeutic goals also include a level of psychological wellness in living with persistent bowel dysfunction after Hirschsprung surgery but few, if any, studies have addressed this likelihood. Focusing on the results after definitive surgical repair of Hirschsprung disease, the journal article, â€Å"An example of psychological adjustment in chronic illness: Hirschsprung’s disease† by Athanasakos, Starling, Ross, Nunn, and Cass, identifies outcomes in terms of psychiatric health. The primary aim of this study was to report overall outcomes after Hirschsprung surgery and to address the impact of the disease on the optimism for a normal life. Fecal soiling was identified as the most common problem for