Having your child battle cancer is the most emotionally traumatizing feeling as a parent. Then again, you are the only pillar of support your child will hold on to in any difficulty or despair. Today, cancer survival rates among children have escalated dramatically to more than 80% through better treatments. It is your strength your child will seek and your hand your child will hold whilst enduring the physical and emotional turmoil in fighting cancer.
Speak Their Language
You must not keep your child in the dark about the disease. Not telling your child about the situation may make it worse. However, making your child understand this can be tricky. If your child is very young, explain it to them in a way they will understand:
- There’s no tumour at all, but a Big Ball!
- Your blood is not working right and the doctors need to fix it.
If anything, your child will look for humour more than usual while at this.
Make Your Child Smile
Do every little thing that lifts your child’s spirits and brings a smile on his face. Make the environment at the hospital as entertaining and fun for your child as possible. Remember, a child diagnosed with cancer is a child and deserves a normal life like other children. Make them read, write, and learn new stuff. Savour every moment and celebrate every little achievement of your child. Play video games, watch movies, keep your child engaged!
Help Your Child Cope
Cancer treatment brings changes to your child mentally and physically. Children are very sensitive about how they look and how others respond to them. If the treatment causes your child’s hair to fall out, let them pick up a fun cap, scarf and/or wig ahead of time. For changes in weight, get advice from a dietician and prepare your child. Engage in some fun shopping with your child and let them pick outfits. Make your child stay in touch with his/her friends through calls, texts, e-mails, and video chats. Help them respond to or ignore comments from people, those who stare, or mistake the gender or ask personal questions.