Additional Children in Families of Children with Disabilities: Using Demographic Data to Answer Clinical Questions

Abstract

From the psychoanalytic literature, families of children who have died are likely to have replacement children. This study examines, in comparison to families of children without disabilities, whether families of children with disabilities are more likely to have additional children. Using Tennessee State Birth Records, this study examines subsequent children and family size across families of children without disabilities, families of children with spina bifida, and families of children with Down syndrome. Furthermore, this study examines the influence of parent-family variables across the groups. Results indicate that, in comparison to families of children without disabilities, families of children with disabilities are more likely to have subsequent children and larger family size. Implications are discussed.