Source: Cancer Resource Room
When Your Child Has
Been Diagnosed with Cancer
A child who has cancer must deal with
many physical and emotional issues. Children
have not developed the decision-making
and coping skills that adults have through
the course of other life experiences.
Children depend on the people who know
them best— parents and other caregivers—to
make decisions for them and to help them
manage the stress that comes with having
cancer.
Age-Appropriate Information
How much and what kind of information
your child needs about his cancer depends
on his age. A younger child will not be
able to understand what an older child
or teenager can. A teenager may be less
open about her feelings. You can best
help your child cope by knowing your child
and what developmental stage she is in.
How to Help
Parents and other caregivers can help
children cope with cancer in many ways.
Here are some suggestions.
- Listen and be honest. Children need
information. Yet, too much can be
overwhelming. Take the lead from your
child. Answer his questions honestly
in language he can understand.
- Tune in to your child’s feelings.
Children express feelings such as
fear, anxiety or stress in different
ways. They might not be able to put
their feelings into words. They may
show physical signs such as stomachaches,
headaches or trouble sleeping. They
may show behavioral signs such as
being cranky or not wanting to do
the things they normally like. Talk
with your child when you see signs
that she is upset. Help her put the
feelings into words.
- Give your child coping tools. Find
what works for him. For example, drawing,
writing, listening to music, reading
or learning relaxation exercises might
help the child feel calmer.
- Let your child make decisions appropriate
for her age. Children need to feel
some sense of control. Decisions as
simple as what to have for dinner,
what time to begin a family activity,
or what color gown to wear during
treatment can reduce a child’s
feeling of helplessness.
- Maintain the child’s structure
and routine as much as you can. Doctor’s
appointments, tests, treatments and
feeling sick are disruptive. Keep
things “normal” as often
as possible—school time, time
with friends, mealtimes, bedtime—to
lessen the feeling of life being turned
upside-down.
- It may help for your child to spend
time with other children who have
cancer. Feeling “different”
from other children is difficult.
Knowing other children who are experiencing
the same thing can decrease feelings
of being different or alone.
- Take care of yourself. Having a child
with cancer affects parents deeply—physically
and emotionally. Recognizing and taking
care of your own needs will allow
you to care for your child’s
needs better.
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Support
& Education Programs
When a child is diagnosed with cancer,
it has a significant impact not only on
the child, but parents, siblings and extended
family as well.
We offer a variety of services to help
patients and families gain the support
and information they will need to meet
the challenges ahead such as:
Look for other support, wellness, and educational
programs offered in the HOPES
calendar.
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