One of the challenging times that any family can go through is to learn that their child is suffering from cancer. It could lead to a significant number of issues in the long run in the form of emotional toll, financial stress and significant adjustment to everyday life. Families can, however, use some of the strategies with the consultation of pediatric hematology and oncology doctors so that the overall cancer treatment journey can be made a successful one.
The best strategies to deal with paediatric cancer for families are:
- Opening the communication: Encouraging communication within the family will be very important and every parent should focus on creating a safe space where every member will be able to express their feeling and concern without any stress of judgement. Frequent family gatherings will be always successful in creating a forum for discussing updates, feelings and coping mechanisms which will also be helpful in improving family bonding and promoting understanding. So, in this particular case, every family should focus on opening up the barriers of communication very easily between themselves so that there is no chance of any kind of hesitation between kids and parents.
- Grabbing the best pieces of knowledge: As parents, it is very much important for everyone to consult the paediatric haemato oncology doctors so that they can have reliable pieces of information from the House of Experts regarding cancer. Power will always be coming from knowledge and it will be helpful in clarifying the issues by remaining aware of the particular form of cancer, available treatments and any kind of adverse effects. So, speaking with the medical experts to obtain correct pieces of information will be very important because numerous organisations will be offering the best resources to assist the families in navigating in a very systematic approach. With the right pieces of information families will feel less stressed and will always be better equipped to make wise decisions
- Lean upon friends and family: It is very important for family members to never hesitate in terms of reaching out to other family members and friends for support because this could be very useful in terms of help and further will provide you with the best support at all times. Whether it is for cooking, watching the siblings or leading to the sympathetic ear, shifting the focus to the friends and family will be highly recommended. When you are able to formulate your support system then family members will be feeling less alone and will be able to relieve the overall stress without any problem. This will allow you to have a good hold over your shoulders to lean upon in the tough times so that there is no scope for any kind of mental stress for you.
- Joining the support group: Another very important perspective the modern parents can focus on is to consult the orthopedic pediatric specialist and join the support groups because the support groups for families dealing with paediatric cancer will be invaluable. In this manner, you will be able to connect with like-minded people who are going through comparable difficulties and further you will be able to console and enlighten yourself very easily. Such support groups will be able to provide you with a good hold over the coping mechanism in addition to the resources and emotional support so that families will never feel alone on their path of treatment.
- Considering to go for professional support: Therapy could be an effective opportunity to cope with the emotional stress associated with the paediatric cancer diagnosis. Individual therapy will always offer a safe environment for every family member so that they can process their feelings and family therapy will be always successful in supporting communication and leading towards problem resolution. Multiple psychologists and social workers with expertise in helping families deal with cancer in a very systematic approach.
- Creating the best possible routine: Establishing a daily routine will be also successful in promoting stability and normalcy for the family because flexibility is very important due to medical appointments and treatment schedules. Having a routine that will be helpful for the child and siblings will be very important so that you can give us a sense of control in this otherwise chaotic situation. Ideally, if possible, you should focus on including the family game night and movie session so that a pinch of enlightenment can be provided to the family and stress will be easily eliminated from the whole process.
- Focusing on positivity and strength: No doubt it is very difficult to focus on positivity in tough times but every family will have significant strength which will be helpful for them to cope with the situation. Identification and celebration of such elements of strength will be very important in the form of a sense of humour, support system and ability to adapt. With this you will be able to recognise how you can deal with resilience very easily and ultimately encouraging the family members to support each other is important so that things are sorted out.
- Practising relaxation techniques: Incorporating mindfulness and relaxation techniques will also be helpful in eliminating this stress and anxiety. Techniques like yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercise exercises will benefit adults and children and families can also learn from the wealth of online was like videos and applications so that they can easily incorporate such habits into everyday life.
Conclusion:
Although dealing with paediatric cancer is obviously difficult families can become stronger and resilient by using practical suggestions as mentioned above. In this way, families will be able to go through the entire challenging process with proper support and engagement and self-care is always recommended. It is important for the family to recall that asking for assistance and depending on others is always okay because this is the only way to go through this situation and the moments of happiness in life.