Meetings with Parents After the Death of Their Child from Leukemia

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the emotional status of parents and siblings after the death of a child with chronic disease. For the past 7 years physicians at our center have systematically contacted parents who lost a child because of leukemia within the first few months after the death. From this experience it appears that most parents needed to talk at least once with the physicians who took care of their child. As expected, some parents and siblings were found to have significant psychological problems and to need psychologic support. We suggest that the opportunity to talk with a physician of the attending staff should be provided routinely to parents shortly after the death of a child from leukemia.

Key Words:

• family support
• child
• leukemia
• death