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Your behaviour as a parent is crucial. You asking questions. At some point, you’ll run
have to help your kid keep living a fulfilling out of options and you won’t be able to
life, while at the same time prepare for explain why their pain won’t stop.
a dignified and peaceful death. Have an Be open and honest
honest and open conversation with their Why is it so important to be open and
doctor, and talk about your feelings. It won’t honest with you child? First, because you will
be easy, but it is important to acknowledge make them feel a lot less anxious. Second,
that there are things in life you can’t control. because you’ll make them understand
what’s happening. This will enable you to
SYMPTOMS, HEALTH-CARE, AND SIDE-EFFECTS have closure. Share memories, express your
Caring for a child with a terminal illness is love and adoration, and make them feel
excruciating, especially if that child is your safe and protected. Your child will probably
flesh and blood. The best thing that you can have a lot of questions. Knowing what’s on
do is know everything there is related to their mind, and doing everything you can to
the condition. Know about the symptoms, clear the air is a great way to make them
best treatment available, and side-effects. feel at peace.
Palliative care is all about helping the child
live a comfortable life. It involves the social, However, you may not want to talk about
psychological, and spiritual needs of the death with your child if they are a pre-
whole family. Note that we’re not talking schooler. They won’t be able to understand
about a treatment, but about care. the concept, and you might scare them. In
school, kids begin to understand what death
Hospice care can be included in this is. Their understanding often depends on
category. It is a form of palliative care cultural norms, the things they see on TV,
for patients with less than six-months to and religious beliefs.
live. The services are focused on offering
support, and can be provided both at THE GREAT POWER OF REASSURANCE
home and in an assisted living facility. Most When bringing the topic of death into
families don’t want their child to be looked discussion, it might be a good idea to
after in a hospital. They want them to live reassure your child that they won’t be
at home, and be surrounded by their loved alone, and that they will go to a better
ones. place where others will look after them.
Parental love matters just as much as
COMMUNICATION IS FUNDAMENTAL support. Be there for them, and convince
When caring for a sick child, it’s very hard them that after death all their pain will go
to talk about death. But you have to do it so away forever.
that you can assure them that everything
will be alright. Find the right time to have In some circumstances, your child’s physician
a conversation. If the cancer is in the early may recommend some supplements and
stages, you can have time to find the right vitamins to help maintain their strength for
approach. You’re the judge, and you can as long as possible. Even in the late stages
choose to tell your child whenever you want. of a terminal disease, such as cancer, no
But do it properly and make them feel safe. parent wants their kid to suffer. To know
more about what suits your child, consult
A lot of parents choose to keep their kids with the best professionals.
in the dark but they don’t realise that this
approach can do them more harm than Bottom line is, the best treatment for a child
good. Since your child is sick, and their who suffers from an incurable disease is
body may feel pain, they will have to deal love. Care for them and make them happy,
with lots of changes, and will naturally start so that they can die happy and at peace.
14 may 2017 | mychild
