A scoping review of mother–child separation in clinical paediatric settings

There is increasing evidence to suggest that autonomic regulation of hospitalised infants is affected by separation from their mother. This review explored the extent of the evidence relating to the impact of separation on infants and children and aimed to identify suitable measures of the impact of mother–child separation. We conducted a scoping review of seven databases using the main search terms ‘physiological’, ‘psychological’, ‘infant/child’, ‘maternal separation’ and ‘hospital’. Thirty-four articles containing data relevant to the effects of mother–child separation on either member of the pair were included. Findings highlight the central importance of the mother’s presence in mediating the stressful effects of hospitalisation on her child. The majority of articles reported on psychological effects of separation on mothers of infants or on younger children. We identified no articles reporting on physiological effects on the older child or mothers of older children or psychological effects on mothers of older children. Only nine articles used validated tools to measure the effects of separation. There is a need for more evidence, based on validated measurement, about the psychological effects of separation on the child, particularly the older child, and on the physiological effects of separation on the mother–child pair during hospitalisation.