How to Explain Terminal Cancer to Children

Whether terminal cancer touches your family personally or you just want to explain the basic facts about it to your children, give them age-appropriate information that will help them understand this devastating illness. Although terminal cancer will cause the swift reorganization of life and its priorities, your child can learn important lessons from this experience.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a calm time to talk about terminal cancer, preferably when you and your child can sit together in an unrushed fashion to talk, according to Macmillan Cancer Support. Take enough time to answer questions your child has.

    • 2

      Provide a brief overview of the body̵7;s physiology for your child. Tell your child that everyone̵7;s body contains many different cells that help the body to function, grow and repair, according to the Lucy Daniels Center. Sometimes cells change and stop working as they should. If this happens, the unhealthy cells can grow so quickly that they take over and crowd out the healthy cells -- a person might have a tumor made up of dangerous and unhealthy cells. Reassure your child that terminal cancer is not contagious.

    • 3

      Tell your child that often when a person gets sick with cancer, he'll feel unwell. His appetite and energy might decrease and he might start having unusual pain. It̵7;s important to visit the doctor when unusual symptoms start because if unhealthy cells are growing in the body, a doctor can help before the cells grow too numerous.

    • 4

      Explain details about a specific terminal illness if your family has a loved one or friend with terminal cancer. Mention the name to your child so she hears it, recommends the Facing Bereavement website. Giving details about a terminal cancer̵7;s name removes some of the vagueness about it, which could make it less frightening for a child. Provide other information about the type of cancer, such as some symptoms of the illness, if possible.

    • 5

      Disclose the seriousness of the diagnosis to your child, explaining that terminal cancer means that a patient is very sick because the unhealthy cells are strong. Explain that sometimes doctors can help a patient̵7;s body fight against the unhealthy cells with special medicines and treatments. Mention that sometimes sick patients have surgery that involves doctors removing the unhealthy cells from the body. Sometimes these treatments can help a sick person become healthier and fight back against the unhealthy cells. Sometimes treatments don̵7;t work and a sick person gets sicker. If this happens, the person will die because the unhealthy cells became too strong.

    • 6

      Describe details of the prognosis associated with an illness for your child, giving as much information as possible, if applicable. Generally, with a terminal diagnosis, the patient has a prognosis that includes life expectancy. Give your child details about planned treatments that the doctors recommend for battling the unhealthy cells.

    • 7

      Ask your child if he has any questions about terminal cancer. Listen carefully and provide honest answers to provide support for your child. Tell your child that you will always listen and try to answer his questions as much as you can.

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