Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: Dealing with Recurrence or Progressive Illness
For someone with cancer, one of the hardest parts is when the cancer keeps growing during treatment or comes back after treatment. It’s hard for their loved ones, too, and may be extra hard for children and teens.
You may find that you’re even more worried now (if that’s possible) than you were when you first found out you had cancer. And it might have been many years since that happened. No matter how much time has passed, you may find yourself facing all-too-familiar feelings of fear and uncertainty. Each person close to you will go through feelings like this, too. Your children are likely well aware of your feelings (and that of the other parent) during this time, so we’ll discuss some of what’s happening with you before we address what they may be going through. Then we’ll try to help you understand what your kids might be thinking and feeling, and share some ideas on how you may be able to help them through this time.
This discussion is written for a parent with cancer, but it can be used during the illness of any adult who’s important to a child. If the person with cancer is a child or teen, see our Children Diagnosed With Cancer series.
This is one in a series of pieces covering topics to help children when someone in the family has cancer. The others cover diagnosis, treatment, terminal illness, losing a parent, and psychosocial support services.
- How can I help anyone else when I’m so upset about the cancer coming back?
- How should I talk about cancer recurrence with my children and help them cope with it?
- What is a child’s greatest worry if a parent’s illness progresses?
- What about the “why” questions?
- How might my advancing cancer affect my child’s spirituality or religious faith?
- How do children react to the thought of a parent’s death?
- Isn’t having a positive attitude important in fighting the cancer?
- How can I help my child when I have so little energy?
- How will I know if my children need extra help?
- Will this experience leave my children with emotional scars?
- To learn more
- References