Growing Number Of Children, Teenagers Becoming Caregivers To Ill, Elderly Relatives

A growing number of children and teenagers are taking on the responsibility of caring for family members with debilitating illness, the Washington Post reports. As many as 1.4 million young people ages eight to 18 in the U.S. care for a chronically ill or disabled relative, according to a 2005 survey by the United Hospital Fund and the National Alliance for Caregiving.

Tasks performed by young caregivers can include providing companionship, running errands, balancing checkbooks and changing feeding tubes or adult diapers. The 2005 study found that mood swings and antisocial behavior are more common among teenage caregivers than their peers, and they also have increased rates of missing school or after-school activities.