- Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: Dealing With Treatment
- How much should I tell my children about my treatment?
- What if my child starts acting differently after I start treatment?
- How can relatives and friends help my children?
- Should the child visit the hospital or clinic?
- What should I tell my child’s school about my illness?
- What if people ask my child about the cancer?
- How do families deal with the uncertainty of not knowing if treatment has worked?
- Cancer changes everyone in the family.
- What helps, by age of the child:
- Words to describe cancer and its treatment
- To learn more
- References
Previous Topic
To learn more
References
Christ GH, Christ AE. Current approaches to helping children cope with a parent’s terminal illness. CA Cancer J Clin. 2006;56:197-212.
Fasciano K. ASCO Expert Corner: Returning to School After Cancer. Accessed at www.cancer.net/portal/site/patient/menuitem.169f5d85214941ccfd748f68ee37a01d/?vgnextoid=b09be05611d54110VgnVCM100000ed730ad1RCRD on May 20, 2010. Content no longer available.
Harpham WS. When a Parent Has Cancer: A guide to caring for your children. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
National Cancer Institute. Pediatric supportive care (PDQ®). Accessed at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/pediatric/HealthProfessional on June 15, 2012.
National Cancer Institute: When Someone In Your Family Has Cancer. Accessed at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/when-someone-in-your-family-archived/page1 on May 19, 2010. Content no longer available.
Thastum M, Johansen MB, Gubba L, Olesen LB, Romer G. Coping, social relations, and communication: a qualitative exploratory study of children of parents with cancer. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008;13:123-138.
Thastum M, Watson M, Kienbacher C, et al. Prevalence and predictors of emotional and behavioural functioning of children where a parent has cancer: a multinational study. Cancer. 2009;115:4030-4039.
Welch AS, Wadsworth ME, Compas BE. Adjustment of children and adolescents to parental cancer. Parents’ and children’s perspectives. Cancer. 1996;77:1409-1418.
Last Medical Review: 08/07/2012
Last Revised: 08/07/2012