How to Help Children Through a Parent's Serious Illness

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Summary: Purpose of this book, and its philosophy
Review: FROM THE INTRODUCTION:

You hear the words: "You have cancer." "You have m.s." "You need a heart transplant." The first thing you think about is your own life. And the second thing is, "What will happen to my children?"

Whatever your own future may hold, you want your children to emerge from this crisis sound and strong. There are no 'right' answers, but there are answers--there are questions your children will certainly ask, there are reactions, healthy and unhealthy, that you can observe and deal with. What is 'normal' for your children? What is dangerously NOT 'normal'? What signs can you look for? What warnings do children give? What can you say and do to maintain the mental and emotional health of your children through months or years of medical crisis, no matter what the outcome? Where can you go for help?

This handbook is drawn from the great and growing body of knowledge of how children think and react, as well as from Kathleen McCue's own years of experience as founder and director of the pioneeering Child Life program at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Foundation. The central message of the book from which everything else flows, is one idea:

You must tell your children the truth.

Rating:
Summary: A unique book to help you help others!
Review: How to Help Children Through a Parent's Serious Illness is a wondeful resource for professional and home use! There are so many books designed to help children and parents with a child's illness but practically nothing available to help the children of adult patients deal with an adult illness, accident, or death. Kathleen and Ron are skillful and concise in sharing dozens of pointers and case examples that will help any adult in this situation. I work in a hospital and refer to the book often. We've shared it with nurses and doctors-all have found it "right on target". I know it would be a wonderful resource for use at home too. Two thumbs up to Kathleen and Ron for filling a big gap!

Rating:
Summary: I hope you will never need this book ...
Review: My husband was diagnosed with cancer when our daughter was just 9 months old. We are a little over 2 years into our struggle with his illness. I found McCue and Bonn's book immensly helpful at this difficult time. It covers everything from diagnosis, to coming home from the hospital or, God forbid, the parent's death. It also covers long term illnesses. The book is filled with practical advice. If you are struggling with a very sick parent (or other loved one) in your family right now, you need all the help you can get. After reading this book, I feel like I have the tools to help my daughter through this process whatever the outcome might be. It was incredibly helpful.

Rating:
Summary: I hope you will never need this book ...
Review: My husband was diagnosed with cancer when our daughter was just 9 months old. We are a little over 2 years into our struggle with his illness. I found McCue and Bonn's book immensly helpful at this difficult time. It covers everything from diagnosis, to coming home from the hospital or, God forbid, the parent's death. It also covers long term illnesses. The book is filled with practical advice. If you are struggling with a very sick parent (or other loved one) in your family right now, you need all the help you can get. After reading this book, I feel like I have the tools to help my daughter through this process whatever the outcome might be. It was incredibly helpful.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ!
Review: This book is a tremendous resource for families who are facing serious illness and approaching death. The book gave me helpful advice on when to seek counseling help for my children, signals of depression and failure to cope in children, how to explain about hereditary diseases, and how to help children prepare to visit the hospital. In my own situation, my husband has a progressive muscular disease that has affected his lung/breathing processes. This disease can result in immediate death and I felt that my children needed to be prepared for that. I actually handled my chidlren's first trip to the hospital badly and they both reacted negatively--I wish I would have had this resource then! From time to time I refer back to this helpful book whenever a new situation arises and after reading it, I feel that I have a better understanding of how children see an illness, how they react to it, and how to explain it to them. I'd really like to see a sequel to it that goes into areas such as what to do when the kids are in denial and don't want to know; dealing with relatives who disagree with the methods chosen on helping the child deal with the illness, and how to handle emergencies that happen at home with the ill parent. In any case, this book is a necessity for families!

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ!
Review: This book is a tremendous resource for families who are facing serious illness and approaching death. The book gave me helpful advice on when to seek counseling help for my children, signals of depression and failure to cope in children, how to explain about hereditary diseases, and how to help children prepare to visit the hospital. In my own situation, my husband has a progressive muscular disease that has affected his lung/breathing processes. This disease can result in immediate death and I felt that my children needed to be prepared for that. I actually handled my chidlren's first trip to the hospital badly and they both reacted negatively--I wish I would have had this resource then! From time to time I refer back to this helpful book whenever a new situation arises and after reading it, I feel that I have a better understanding of how children see an illness, how they react to it, and how to explain it to them. I'd really like to see a sequel to it that goes into areas such as what to do when the kids are in denial and don't want to know; dealing with relatives who disagree with the methods chosen on helping the child deal with the illness, and how to handle emergencies that happen at home with the ill parent. In any case, this book is a necessity for families!