Its important for children to regularly express their fears and feelings about changes to their bodies throughout a long-term illness. You can also ask your child what he or she is experiencing and listen to everything they say before bringing up your own feelings and explanations.
"You always need to be honest and open," warns Tammy Else, Child Life Specialist. "Children's feeling and fears need to be acknowledged." This kind of communication doesn't always have to be verbal. Music, drawing or writing can often help a child living with a life-threatening disease to express their emotions and to escape through a fantasy world of their own design.
Your child may also need reminders that he is not responsible for his illness. "At this age, a child's thought process is dominated by magical thinking, and they may connect their own behavior with their disease. Reassure them that neither they nor anyone else has caused their illness," Else says.
