Three in four parents say caring for their children’s wellbeing has forced them to neglect their own health, with many eventually seeing minor concerns develop into more serious conditions.
Research involving 2,000 parents of under-16s found that, among those who regularly put their health second, half had dismissed or ignored their own symptoms while focusing on their children. A further 33% had delayed contacting a medical professional.
Nearly a quarter had cancelled a medical appointment because they were too busy, while 20% had postponed a screening and 19% had delayed treatment. Overall, 71% said putting their health aside had allowed their condition to worsen.
The pressure is also affecting parents in the workplace. Some 66% of working parents said they had avoided taking sick leave because they wanted to preserve their time off for when their children became ill.
Meanwhile, 58% had carried on working despite being unwell, concerned they had already used too much leave while caring for sick children.
Dr Naveen Puri, medical director at Bupa UK Insurance, which commissioned the research and provides family health cover, said: “Having an unwell child can be one of the most stressful experiences for a parent.
“Parents understandably have to balance their child’s care with work, household duties and the needs of other family members. However, it is important that they do not overlook their own wellbeing in the process.
“Too often, parents continue working while ill, ignore worrying symptoms or postpone medical advice because they believe other responsibilities must come first.
“Parents need to feel able to make their own health a priority, helping them remain well enough to support and care for the whole family.”
The findings showed that 63% of parents feel overwhelmed when their child is sick, while 41% said it can seem as though someone in the family is constantly unwell.
On average, parents spend slightly more than two hours every week managing their children’s health needs. Over the course of a year, that adds up to more than four full days.
Health worries are an ongoing concern for 62% of parents, and 81% said having illness in the family is stressful.
The biggest source of stress is worrying about a child’s condition, cited by 51% of parents. This was followed by disrupted sleep patterns at 43% and the challenge of balancing childcare with everyday responsibilities at 40%.
Other common difficulties included managing work alongside caring for a sick child, reported by 38%, knowing when to seek medical advice at 28% and arranging appointments at 25%.
The OnePoll research also revealed that 80% of parents believe they are more attentive to their children’s health than to their own.
For a quarter of those surveyed, responsibility for managing the family’s healthcare rests entirely with them.
Faster access to medical advice would make family healthcare easier for 45% of parents, while 40% said shorter waits for appointments would provide valuable support.
Dr Puri added: “When a child or another family member becomes ill, parents want to arrange the right care as quickly as possible.
“Reducing the time spent waiting for help can ease the stress of illness and give parents more opportunity to focus on their own health too.”
