Elena Lister, MD
Child and adolescent psychiatrist. Co-author of book "Giving Hope: Conversations with Children about Illness, Death and Loss"
1 / 9
Educating others to talk openly and honestly about illness and death: When you share the unbearable, it becomes bearable.
Illness and Loss: What is mentionable is manageable.
Emotion in front of the children: The rule of thumb is you stay several steps LESS upset than they are.
Siblings: Art therapy provides a way for grieving children to name things and express feelings.
As parents, we can dose ourselves with the pain, and then regroup for our children.
Talking to the child about whether s/he is likely to die. “I encourage parents to not be afraid of that.”
Helping the bereaved siblings answer the question, “How many siblings do you have?”
A psychiatrist recommends against leaving the bedroom of the child who died exactly as it was when they were living.