A cancer diagnosis is a scary experience for anyone. However, when you have young children, it can make the diagnosis even heavier on a parent. In families, cancer not only affects the person who is affected, but it also affects the rest of the family as well in many different ways. In this article we’ll talk about how a parent’s cancer diagnosis can impact children.
Emotional Responses
Cancer is a chronic illness that can have a great impact on a child’s emotional state. Some of the common emotional responses are:
- Fear and anxiety: When told a child may become fearful and anxious about the health of the parent, the parent leaving them and about whether the parent is going to pass away. They may also start to worry that they’ll get sick and that the other parent who hasn’t got cancer will get sick as well. If left untreated, anxiety and fear can stay with the child for many years to come and may develop long term into PTSD.
- Grief and sadness: Many children will start to feel grief and sadness due to the diagnoses. Some ways this may show is withdrawal from friends and family, changes in behaviors like bedwetting, anger outbursts, and temper tantrums. Heavy grief may be seen before the parent passes due to the excessive worry they may have about their parent.
- Guilt and shame: Some children will also feel guilt and shame. They may blame themselves for their parents getting cancer, they may also feel shame for having fun while their parents are sick. This can play on their minds every time until they start feeling guilty for being happy when their parents aren’t.
Cancer unfortunately can come in many forms. From breast cancer to mesothelioma and beyond, it has a profound effect on families.
Social Impacts
Cancer can also have an impact on children in a social manner. Some ways children are impacted socially are:
- Changes to family dynamics: After a cancer diagnosis generally family roles can shift especially when there’s older kids involved. Sometimes, older siblings may take over the caregiver role of their parents and other siblings. The family dynamic may also change where relationships become strained.
- Stigma and isolation: Children may unexpectedly face stigma and bullying around a parent’s diagnosis. Peers may try to avoid the child leading to isolation, Some may experience teasing about their parents illness which can increase sadness and the need to pull away from other peers.
Physical Impacts
Some children will also feel physical impacts from a cancer diagnosis. These may include:
- Health related symptoms: Some children may feel sick, have headaches or tummy upset due to the level of stress they may be feeling. Stress can cause different changes to the body which can result in more physical symptoms occurring.
- Changes in eating and sleeping: Some children may lose their appetite which can cause them to lose weight. They may also not eat as healthy as they used to. They may also suffer from insomnia due to the worry of what will happen if their parents die.
EndnoteWhen it comes to a parent’s diagnosis it’s important to remember that the children will also be impacted greatly during this time because they’re afraid of their parent’s death. Whether you’re currently going through cancer or you know someone who is, it’s important to seek professional help for everyone involved to help you stay strong throughout this journey.