Helping children and teens cope when a parent is sick
Learn tips about how to help your children.
During the course of childhood, most children will go through times when one of their parents is ill. It’s not unusual for an adult to have a sudden minor illness.
Major illnesses or injuries can also happen, such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis (painful swelling of the joints or the place where two bones come together) or heart disease.
For kids, these periods of parental illness can be unsettling. Younger children are often confused and frightened when a parent is ill.
Children may express their fear or anxiety (worrying more than normal) by:
- Having sleep problems
- Having night terrors
- Wetting the bed
- Acting a younger age
- Displaying bad behavior
- Having headaches
- Having stomachaches
- Showing a lack of emotion
Parents can be fooled by how mature or grown up some teens appear to be. They may believe that their usually mature 13-year-old is capable of understanding and coping with a parental illness. Teen years are a period of great developmental instability.
So how can parents help their kids cope with a parental illness or injury?
Help children talk about their fears
You may want to suggest to your child that he may be afraid and it’s okay to talk about it. Younger children may need reassurance that their parent will get better, even if the illness is a minor one. Sometimes helping children talk about their feelings is more useful than reassurance.
Ask for help
In the case of a longer or more serious illness, parents may want to ask for the help of other family members and friends. Children depend on their parents and may find it frightening when their parents are unable to be there for them.
Be honest
It can take a great deal of courage to be honest. While children may not always be able to process the information they are given, they will be grateful that they have been told the truth. Illness is often experienced as a betrayal of the body. To a child, dishonesty is a betrayal of the heart.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for professional health care. You should consult an appropriate health care professional for your specific needs.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for professional health care. You should consult an appropriate health care professional for your specific needs.