Specific suggestions for coping
The lists below contain suggestions for patients, parents, and siblings that
may help each individual cope with his/her emotions, depending upon the age of
the child with cancer and the age of the siblings.
Infants and very young children (birth to 3 years of
age)
For patients
- Holding
- Touching
- Rocking
- Soft music
- Hugging
- Cuddling
- Distracting with toys or colorful objects
- Creating a cheerful, comfortable hospital room
- Having siblings visit
- Keeping their regular schedule for sleeping and feeding
For siblings
- Providing cuddling
- Hugging frequently
- Arranging visits to ill brother or sister
- Keeping them near parents, if possible
- Using relatives, friends, or a daycare center to maintain their usual
daily routine
- Having one parent spend time with them daily
- Recording lullabies, stories, messages when parent cannot be at home
- Offering frequent reassurance to toddlers that mommy or daddy will soon be
back
Toddlers, pre-school (3 to 5 years of age)
For patients
- Giving very simple and repeated explanations for what is happening
- Providing comfort when child is upset or fearful
- Checking on child's understanding of what is happening
- Offering choices when possible
- Teaching acceptable expression of angry feelings
- Maintaining a normal daily schedule for feeding and sleeping
- Giving simple explanation for parent's distress, sadness, or crying
For siblings
- Giving a simple explanation that brother or sister is sick and that people
are helping
- Offering comfort and reassurance about parent's absence
- Arranging for reliable daily care and maintenance of usual routines
- Having one parent see child daily, if possible
- Remaining alert to changes in behavior
- Reassuring child about parent's distress or sadness.