Helping children cope with their parent's cancer

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Thien Quang - Internal Oncologist - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. The doctor has more than 15 years of experience in the field of examination and diagnosis of oncological diseases and methods of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and palliative care.
Cancer treatment can cause many changes in appearance and symptoms of drug side effects over time such as fatigue, weight loss, hair loss, or vomiting. When children observe these things without knowing the exact illness of their parents, they will feel frightened by these changes.

1. How to explain cancer to children

The parent's interpretation will depend on the age of the child. For all ages, parents should explain their illness in an understandable way and prepare their children for the changes that will occur in their daily lives.
Young children (up to 8 years old) will not need as much detail about the disease while older children 8 years old will need more information. At all ages, children will need the following information:
The type of cancer Where the disease is in the body How the disease will be treated The implications for the child's daily life Be prepared to deal with it your preferences and talk to your child when he is calm and receptive to information. In some cases, children may think they contributed to the disease or that the cancer is contagious. Reassure and explain clearly to children what they are misunderstanding.

2. How will the child react?

How the child reacts will depend on how the parents interpret the illness, age, and relationship with the parent. Children with an independent personality may become even more independent after receiving the news, or children who tend to think about the worst cases will continue to think in a negative way. Observe the child's behavior when you explain the illness because the child may show emotions through actions, pictures or the way he plays with toys.
Children may also wonder who will take care of them while their parents are in treatment and many children need to feel that life is not so out of the ordinary. Let them know details like who will take care of them and spend time with them and reassure them that life won't be so different.

Children can also become depressed. Some signs of depression in children:
Poor academic performance, loss of friends Feeling sad for a long time Having a bad mood, crying a lot Don't want to go out, don't talk much Loss of appetite Difficulty sleeping Difficulty concentrating If If your child has these symptoms, talk to the adults around them, such as teachers, school counselors, and nurses, so they can assess your child and help you understand your child better.
Parents and children may need help and advice from psychologists to remove concerns from parents and ways to communicate with their children about cancer. Avoid letting children have negative thoughts that lead to depression.
Psychological clinic at Vinmec Times City International General Hospital was established for the purpose of medical examination and treatment combined with the use of psychological testing methods, intensive psychotherapy proven to be effective. results in reduced anxiety, improved coping skills, increased psychological well-being and well-being, reduced useless thoughts, improved emotional well-being, and reduced psychological distress.

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Article referenced source: cancer.net