References
Bylund-Grenklo T, Kreicbergs U, Uggla C, et al. Teenagers want to be told when a parent’s death is near: A nationwide study of cancer-bereaved youths’ opinions and experiences. Acta Oncol. 2014;3:1-7.
Christ GH, Christ AE. Current approaches to helping children cope with a parent’s terminal illness. CA Cancer J Clin. 2006;56(4):197-212.
Dehlin L, Reg LM. Adolescents’ experiences of a parent’s serious illness and death. Palliat Support Care. 2009;7:13-25.
Harpham WS. When a Parent Has Cancer: A guide to caring for your children. New York: HarperCollins 2004.
National Cancer Institute: When Someone You Love Has Advanced Cancer: Support for Caregivers. Talking with Family and Friends. Accessed at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/when-someone-you-love-has-advanced-cancer/page7#f3 on January 5, 2015.
Seccareccia D, Warnick A. When a parent is dying: helping parents explain death to their children. Can Fam Physician. 2008;54(12):1693-1694.
Welch AS, Wadsworth ME, Compas BE. Adjustment of children and adolescents to parental cancer. Parents’ and children’s perspectives. Cancer. 1996;77:1409-1418.
Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: Dealing With a Parent`s Terminal Illness
- How do I know I’m dying?
- Why should I tell my children I’m dying?
- How do I talk to my children about dying?
- Will this experience affect my child’s happiness and ability to enjoy life in the future?
- What if I’m a single parent and have a terminal illness?
- How do children of different ages deal with illness and death ?
- Infants or very young children
- Children age 3 to 5
- Children age 6 to 8
- Children age 9 to 12
- Teens
- When death is near, should children be there for the actual event?
- How can children be prepared for the memorial ritual or funeral?
- What other factors influence how a child understands a parent’s death?
- Spiritual and religious beliefs may help comfort children
- How are children affected by the surviving parent’s grief?
- How should your child’s school be included?
- To learn more
- References
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Last Medical Review: January 14, 2015 Last Revised: March 20, 2015
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