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Learning how to talk to kids about cancer is something no parent should need to do.
Design by Channing Smith
Unfortunately, the reality for many families is that they will.
FirstOlivia Munn, 43, shared shed been diagnosed with breast cancer after taking abreast cancer risk assessment.
fever when she, too,shared her cancer diagnosis with the world.
Their announcements followedresearchpublished last year that found a troubling trend in cancer rates: Theyre rising in young people.
In other words, the conversations sparked by Middleton and Munn arent likely to go away.
The first thing I did was gather my own thoughts, says Harris.
She asked her husband to meet her at a nearby park.
She was more concerned about when her show was going to turn back on.
That actually made me feel better.
You know their maturity level and how they tend to cope with things.
No matter how you have the conversation, the most important thing is that you have the conversation.
Process it yourself first.
Take the time you’re gonna wanna gather your thoughts before sitting kids down.
Have a treatment plan.
Set the tone.
Sit across from your child, close enough to provide comfort and support while they process.
It can also be helpful to model behavior with your child, says Valladarez.
You want them to know they can still be a child.
Remember that kids, especially young kids, often take their cues from the emotions of their parents.
Be hopeful but honest.
With a serious illness like cancer, we often don’t know exactly what to expect, says Largen.
It’s good to be honest about that.
Be as transparent as you’re free to be while remaining hopeful, Largen continues.
If circumstances change, keep kids in the loop.
Providing age-appropriate information as it becomes relevant is key for maintaining trust.
Use the C-word.
Don’t sugarcoat the words, says Dr. Gralow.
Don’t come up with other words for cancer or chemotherapy.
Use the actual words that they’re going to confront.
Its especially important for school-age children, adds Largen.
You want them to be able to come back and say, No, that’s not true.
We’ve talked about her treatment.
Use age-appropriate resources.
There are also dozens ofbookswritten for kids of all ages to help them understand cancer.
For older kids, be aware that they will likely google.
Googling a diagnosis often scares the bejesus out of adults.
So imagine a teenage brain trying to process all that information.
Talk about what to expect.
If youre expecting to have a hospital stay, prepare kids for your absence ahead of time.
Leave space for questions.
Always let kids know that youre there to answer their questionsno matter how hard they may be.
In the teen years especially, kids may need some time to process, says Dr. Gralow.
verify the window is open so that they can come back and ask more questions.
And remember, its fine if you dont have all the answers.
Its okay to say, Thats a great question.
Im not sure, but I can ask the doctor, says Valladarez.
