Behaviour problems in children with CP. Are parents to blame?

This morning I have been awake since 4.00am. That was when my daughter woke and was unable to get back to sleep. I wonder about the damage being done to my aging brain of disrupted and insufficient sleep. 

Sitting here at my computer, waiting for daylight, my attention was caught by another (see my previous posting) research report  "Course of behaviour problems of children with cerebral palsy: the role of parental stress and support" published in Child: Care, Health and Development which, I read, is the official journal of "BACCH, Swiss Paediatric Society and ESSOP" (which you will have to research yourself - I've no idea who BACCH and ESSOP might be). 

According to the Abstract:

Results  Behaviour problems of children with CP started significantly higher than in the general population, but diminished over the 3-year period. Older children showed less problems overall, and girls showed less externalizing problems than boys. Children with the most severe CP had more externalizing problems; effects on internalizing problems were not significant. Across time, an excess of stress vs. support related to parents' socio-economic and living situation and to parents' social relationships was positively related to total behaviour problems, internalizing and externalizing behaviours of children.
Conclusions  Levels of behaviour problems are elevated but diminish during adolescence for children with CP. Severity of CP plays a role as well as the family context in terms of the stress and support that caregivers experience.

I loosely (and probably unfairly - but with a smile) interpret this as saying that the kids are not much of a problem, it's probably the crazed parents fault and that's down to the (lack of proper) support they get as caregivers.  Why else would the "consumers" in the research reported previously regard "service provision/intervention" as a research priority if it were not unsatisfactory?

Actually, as day dawns and the time approaches for my daughters carers, thankfully, to arrive, I spot a third research report: "The impact of caring for a child with cerebral palsy: quality of life for mothers and fathers".  Now there indeed is a subject I would regard as a priority for research!  

It's published in the same journal as the research noted above.  You will excuse my rather grim smile of recognition on reading the Results and Conclusions of the study:

Results  There were no differences in parental QOL among subgroups (i.e. mothers and fathers, age groups, GMFCS levels). Parental QOL ranged across a wide spectrum. Caring for a child with CP affects a parent's physical well-being, social well-being, freedom and independence, family well-being and financial stability. Parents indicated that they often feel unsupported by the services they access.
Conclusions  Caring for a child with CP can both positively and negatively impact on a parent's life. There is value for both parents and children if parental concerns and determinants of QOL are considered in overall programme planning and service delivery for children and their families.

That last sentence is worth repeating: 

"There is value for both parents and children if parental concerns and determinants of QOL are considered in overall programme planning and service delivery for children and their families."

I shall get a cup of tea and maybe another hour's sleep before breakfast.