Key points:
- A childhood cancer diagnosis can destabilize any family emotionally, socially, and psychologically.
- One of the best methods to help children get through the disease is by attending therapy, where a specialist can guide new, much more positive, and encouraging thoughts.
- Returning to school can be a beneficial factor that makes them feel better and encouraged to continue with their cancer treatments.
A childhood cancer diagnosis is always an unexpected experience that can throw a family off balance, regardless of their ability to cope with everyday crises. The issues that both parents and children have to face are different.
Uncertainty about how you will deal with the disease causes anxiety and depression.
The diagnosis, surgical interventions and sequelae, treatments’ aftereffects, the possibility of death, the changes in their daily life and that of their family, the adaptation to the hospital, the relationship with the treating medical team, the information management are all stressful situations that can affect the emotional and physical stability of children when being diagnosed, therefore, it is essential that parents help their children to develop skills in managing the disease, restructuring their values and giving a new meaning to their life.
How do I motivate my son to take its cancer treatment?
The disease, the treatment, the break with its family, school, and social environment are factors that will make him or her feel deprived of his or her usual habits.
An excellent practice is to see a therapist, who will help you look at the situation from his or her own point of view and learn to cope positively with each step to overcome the disease and continue with their life.
Keeping the child informed about their treatment and evolution of the condition is a key point that should be considered depending on the child’s age. A positive and unconditional social family environment will make you feel ready to face any situation in the best way.
Although it is important to surround them with encouraging thoughts, it is also essential that, as adults, we show ourselves strong and motivated in the face of the situation, since this will help your child see cancer as another obstacle that must be knocked down.
What activities can I do with my child?
Relaxation techniques: Some techniques such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation are among the various complementary therapies that can help patients cope with the effects of cancer.
They can be adapted to children of different ages and most of them can be used in almost any environment.
These techniques help reduce distress and manage side effects such as pain, fatigue, and nausea.
Playful activities: these will help you release tension, get out of the daily routine and have a bit of fun and entertainment so that for a moment children can put aside the disease to return to their usual childhood.
Animal therapy: This is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems such as childhood cancer.
Crafts: where the union between family and patient can be beneficial emotionally.
My child wants to go back to school, is it recommended?
Children with cancer, except for some with central nervous system tumors, have the same cognitive capacity as their peers, reintegration into school helps them to be aware that they have a future, potential for growth and development in their lives. The school is a factor that makes them feel better after a hospitalization, which will reinforce the hope of being cured and continuing their treatments with a good attitude.
Some studies carried out in different countries regarding the integration of children with cancer at school show that those who were in contact with their teachers throughout the treatment adapted better since the child’s identity as a member of the group was kept.
The disease can cause strong physical damage, so before being reintegrated in person or taking classes from home, it is necessary to prepare the workers of the institution and the students by briefly explaining the situation that the child is going through, in addition to having the medical approval at all times.
At ABC Medical Center we have the best specialists, who will not only help you overcome the disease medically but also emotionally, increasing your quality of life.
Fuentes:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1665920115001200
www.euskadi.eus/contenidos/documentacion/inn_doc_esc_inclusiva/es_def/adjuntos/escuela-inclusiva/100004c_Pub_EJ_guia_cancer_c.pdf
scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1137-66272010000400002
together.stjude.org/es-us/atenci%C3%B3n-apoyo/terapias-complementarias/t%C3%A9cnicas-de-relajaci%C3%B3n.html
dspace.uib.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11201/147874/Femenias_Villalonga_Lidia_Pilar.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
www.mayoclinic.org/es-es/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/pet-therapy/art-20046342
