| This hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to uncover the experience of parenting a diabetic child. The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret the parent's experience in order to sensitize health care professionals about this experience.;The research participants were 11 parents who volunteered after reading about the study in the office of their child's health care provider. Participants were asked to participate in open-ended, audiotaped interviews describing their experience of parenting their diabetic child which provided the study text.;Hermeneutic phenomenology as described by van Manen (1990) guided the inquiry. Seven essential themes emerged from the analysis of text. They are: (a) The Diagnosis: A Turning Point, (b) Living with Uncertainty, (c) Experiencing Time in a New Way, (d) A Parent's Gaze Transformed, (e) Changing Relationships: Facing Isolation, (f) Being Undervalued by Health Care Professionals, and (g) The Significance of Hope. The metaphor, A Whole New World, was revealed through reflection and interpretation. Possibilities for parents, health care professionals in practice, education, and research are described. |
