How Do You Explain Chronic Illness To Children?
Why is the sky blue? What makes it rain? These are just a couple of the burning questions parents hear from their children time after time. Questions about science and nature can be tricky enough, but when your child is diagnosed with a rare and chronic disease, the questions become more difficult. How do you begin to explain such a complex and confusing condition? Each child has her own personality and coping ability. How you explain her disease depends a great deal on her unique nature. You know your child better than anyone, and you can best gauge the right approach to describing what is happening and what lies ahead. The following are some general suggestions that might help as you decide the right words to use. Use common-sense examples or experiences from the past. Children often understand difficult concepts by relating them to something they know or remember. Choose your words thoughtfully. It isn’t easy putting medical terms into simpler words, so try to use words that your ch
