Finding out your child has leukemia is devastating for any family to deal with. Your child’s treatment is ultimately going to impact your entire family. Numerous visits to the hospital and concerns about your child’s health can cause you to feel anxious and exhausted. Many parents experience a combination of sadness, guilt, and anger that their child is sick, especially as treatment continues. Your family dynamic is likely to change after your child receives a diagnosis.

For more than 25 years, the Childhood Leukemia Foundation has changed the lives of those it has touched, including children and their families. Since its inception, the Childhood Leukemia Foundation has strived to increase the effectiveness of its programs by developing new strategies to meet the needs of children with cancer, as well as refine existing programs based on feedback from children, parents, and healthcare professionals. Today, they also offer insights into how to cope with a childhood cancer diagnosis, ensuring families don’t feel alone in the fight.

In this article, the Childhood Leukemia Foundation weighs in on how to deal with parenting a child with leukemia.

Be familiar with your child’s treatment plan

 Learning about leukemia can help you feel much more confident in your ability to care for your child. It is encouraged to take notes at any meetings with your child’s entire treatment team. Don’t hesitate to talk to anyone on your child’s care team if you’re unclear about anything. There are also several resources available about leukemia that can help clarify any questions you may have. Accurate knowledge will help you adapt to your child’s illness and offer the best support your child needs.

“There’s nothing more devastating than learning your child is sick,” says Childhood Leukemia Foundation founder, Barbara Haramis. “Knowing what’s coming can help you prepare for the complexities of the treatment.”

Try to stay positive

It’s completely normal for you to experience ups and downs throughout your child’s treatment. You can encourage your child to focus on the good things that are going on, while acknowledging the difficult times. Being hopeful about your child’s illness can help provide them with the emotional security they need.

Keep a routine

Routine gives us structure and can help maintain a sense of control. You and your family should talk about how you will continue your life while your child is getting treatment, or has returned from the hospital.

“Keeping a routine can help you prevent burnout or unexpected speed bumps along the way,” says Haramis. “Besides, children thrive when they have a routine.”

Be patient and flexible

Take things one day at a time – there isn’t any way to predict how your child is going to cope with their treatment. Being flexible and patient throughout your child’s treatment can help you and your family through ups and downs.

Accept help

Caring for your sick child, while having to manage your household and work commitments, can be more than most people can handle. Invite and accept help from others – including organizations like the Childhood Leukemia Foundation. They offer several programs as well as support to both children and parents impacted by a cancer diagnosis. They work to ensure that the day-to-day challenges faced by a child are manageable, while continuing to implement new elements to their programming to provide additional support.

“Never be afraid to reach out for support. Often, as parents, you may feel that you need to shoulder the burden alone for the sake of your family,” says Haramis. “But you don’t need to, please reach out to family and friends. As well as services like ours.”

Here are some additional ways you and your spouse may be able to support each other and help with the coping process:

• Understand and accept that each parent copes differently
• Appreciate that each of your roles is important
• Try to learn together
• Continue to share in caring and loving your other children if you have them
• Express your own feelings of hope, anger, and sadness with each other

If you want additional information on potential support available, visit the Childhood Leukemia Foundation’s website. You aren’t alone in this fight.

Published: 2023-09-29 00:05:29