| The purpose of this study was to arrive at an understanding of the mother's lived experience of parenting a child with a life-threatening food allergy. Phenomenology was used to guide the exploration of the experience. Six mothers of children 6–12 years old at risk for a life-threatening food reaction and carrying epinephrine were interviewed individually using a semi-structured interview format. Each mother was interviewed on two occasions. Interviews were audiotaped and data analysis was carried out concurrently with data collection. “Living with Risk” was the dominant study theme or essence, supported by five sub-themes. These themes included “Living with Fear”, “Worrying About Well-Being”, “Looking for Control”, “Relying on Resources”, and “It's Hard But It's Not”. The mothers were able to provide insight into what it is like to mother a child with this condition. |
