chapter 10

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Concept of Death
Most children know about death by the time the minors are four years of age, due to some of the experiences children encounter. The concept of death is provoked by the sight of things they find mysterious and underlies their reflective thinking as children integrate death-related experiences into the world. Children are unable to understand what illness or death is about, and require help from an adult to synchronize the true meaning of death.
Caring for aTerminally Ill-child
Palliative and hospice programs are paediatric programs that offer medical assistance to terminally ill child. The programs help the child live comfortably and seek to provide psychological, spiritual and social aspects of the child and the family.Hospice programs, for instance, are home-based to allow the child to enjoy family participation in the healing process while reducing fear and anxiety associated with the visit to the hospitals.
Results of Illness
The main concerns of the illness by children are often dependent on how they understand death. Some guardians perceive it as a separation from the parents whereas others see it as discomforting and a process that invites confusion and fear, emotional strain to the child’s family and stress.
Child Response to a Parent Death
Children who have lost their parents draws a set of memories and feelings and forms a mental relationship, picturing with the deceased parent that changes with age and as the intensity of the experience diminishes.

Minors tend to take responsibilities on the death of the father or mother over their inactions when the parents were alive.
Child Response to a Sibling Death
The loss of a sibling heightens feelings of vulnerability to death of a child.For instance, a child who loses an only sibling who used to be a playmate, protector and a caregiver might grieve the absence of the sibling. They look on their parents to help the minor understand and cope with the loss.
Coping Mechanism
Children need a clear and honest explanation about death. Some keep a safe and friendly distance and decide to interact with a few friends. Explaining death to a child is helpful, and like the passing of a pet, it is rather important not to replace it immediately as the experiences are instructive and preparatory to a child.
Conclusively, death is a worrying factor for young children and continues to influence their experiences when the questions minors raised were not honestly and explicitly answered.The parents have the role of offering emotional support, listening to children, seek resources and additional support to cope with the tragedy.