Talking to a Child with Cancer: Learning from the Experience

Abstract

It is well known that communication with children who are suffering from a life-threatening condition is a big challenge and that, if it is open and honest, it can greatly lessen anxiety and fears. Besides, good communication improves the quality of life for kids and families, since it is a useful tool in order to promote the design and development of coping strategies during all the different moments of the illness through listening to their needs, expectations, fears, doubts, and feelings.

In this chapter, we want to highlight the actual situation in our country with the most relevant data on demographical, epidemiological, and cultural aspects and to outline the principal features of our style of communication, which has evolved over years of experience of work with children and families as one interdisciplinary team, the only way of accomplishing this difficult task.

The main aspects of communication and the way in which children express their thoughts, wishes, and feelings are presented in the drawings, pictures, and real stories that they shared with us.

We also want to add some brief observations about what happens to us professionals, because we strongly believe that this is the first step if we want to care for others.

Another important aspect is the contact with the siblings of the sick child; they are not usually considered when a strategy of communication is planned.

Finally, we mention some communicational aspects in the end of life stage.