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Explaining Cancer to Children


Introduction

You have gotten the news that someone in your family has cancer. If you are a parent or caregiver your immediate thoughts is "how am I going to tell the kids?" Throughout this blog we will provide practical language to explain cancer to young children and school aged children. Adults and parents/caregivers often want is to protect children from pain and hurt, but what research shows is that children cope better with developmentally appropriate information.


Explaining Cancer in Simple Terms

  • It is important to say the word cancer to kids because they may overhear the word from someone else.

  • Cancer: Our whole body is made of tiny building blocks called cells. When cells rapidly grow it is called cancer.

  • Explain where the cancer is in the body - brain, stomach, breast, etc.

  • Tumor: a clump of unhealthy cancer cells.


Important Things to Remember to Share with Children

  • Try to avoid the word "sick" kids are often sick and we don't want them to be confused.

  • No one can catch cancer.

  • You (or the person with cancer) didn't do anything to cause cancer and often times doctors don't know what causes cancer.


Addressing Feelings and Emotions

  • Validate and affirm all children’s reactions: fear, confusion, anger, sadness.

  • Encouraging children to express their feelings openly.

  • Children may return to playing very quickly after you have told them about cancer - and that is okay and developmentally appropriate.

  • If a child asks if they are going to die - you can say "The doctors and our family are going to do everything we can to help ________ get better."


Explaining Treatment and Care

  • Surgery: is when a surgeon, a special doctor removes the cancer with special tools at the hospital.

  • Chemotherapy or chemo: is a special medicine that will help get rid of the unhealthy cancer cells. Chemo may make the person feel very tired or may have belly aches.

  • Radiation: a special x-ray that gets rid of cancer cells in the body.


Anticipating Change

  • The person may use my hair from the chemo, but it will grow back.

  • Sometimes when taking chemo it is best to not go to a lot of places with germs so they may stay home more usual to rest and stay away from germs.

  • Our family and friends may be around a lot more to help take you to practice or bring groceries, etc. This is their way of supporting us.


Encouraging Questions and Dialogue

  • Things may feel different but I always want you to know you can ask us any questions at all.

  • If I don't know the answer to your question I will try to find out for you.


Questions & Further Support

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