The attitude of the family during the diagnosis and treatment process of childhood cancers is effective in reducing the anxiety the child will experience. Stating that the child must be informed about the disease and treatment process, experts said, "Children need close attention, affection, and want to be listened to and understood.
Maintaining social relations in accordance with the course and conditions of the disease, social development and emotional development are extremely valuable for the mental health of the child."
February 15 is commemorated as World Childhood Cancer Day. Approximately 200 thousand children in the world and 3 thousand children in Turkey are diagnosed with cancer every year. On World Childhood Cancer Day, the importance of raising awareness about childhood cancers and early diagnosis is emphasized.
The child should feel safe
Specialist Psychologist Aynur Sayım from Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Medical Center pointed out the importance of family psychology during and after cancer diagnosis. Stating that the period when the cancer diagnosis is first learned is very devastating and devastating for both the patient and the family, Specialist Psychologist Aynur Sayım emphasized that it is very important for children to feel safe in this process.
The disease should be accepted and the child should be informed
Aynur Sayım emphasized that in losses, illnesses and other life events, it is necessary to define the problem and inform the family and children, "The primary stage in all illnesses and losses is to ensure acceptance. Acceptance of the disease should be the first work. What is the name of the disease, what is the course, how will the treatment be, what can be experienced in the process should be explained. The age and developmental level of the child determines the content of the explanation. The doctor and psychologist/psychiatrist should do this. Both the child and the family should be informed. First of all, the family should be aware of what they will struggle with, how they will behave, and what kind of a process awaits them."
Family, treatment team and school should cooperate
Stating that the most important point in the treatment process is family-treatment team and school cooperation, Specialist Psychologist Aynur Sayım said, "In the face of the difficulties experienced by the whole family, it is necessary to focus on the needs of the child and make arrangements in this area, rather than focusing on the child's illness or the situation experienced. The family can do this with support. The home order, living order should be shaped according to the difficulty experienced, and at the same time, what kind of behavior they will be in should be guided by the counselor. Home care and counseling services are also provided in our country."
The disease changes the life order of the whole family
"The confusion brought about by the disease and the differentiation of lifestyle and quality of life, the need for a new order and lifestyle affects both children and all family members," said Specialist Psychologist Aynur Sayım, adding that children want to feel that they are protected and protected and that their needs will be met in this process.
Secure attachment should be created
Emphasizing that children need to form a secure attachment with the caregiver, Specialist Psychologist Aynur Sayım stated that children need close attention, affection, and want to be listened to and understood by them. Stating that the difficulties experienced by families in this process negatively affect all these processes, Sayım said, "Children are afraid in this process, they are worried about both themselves and their loved ones, they do not feel safe. For this reason, psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, social phobia, decreased school success, adaptation and behavioral problems, stagnation and regression of development can be seen in the child."
Anxiety should not be reflected to the child
"Some families may change their attitude and become very tolerant and protective during the child's illness. These are attitude mistakes. In this case, anxiety increases in the child, personality development is negatively affected. Discipline problems arise, social relations are negatively affected," Sayım said, adding that the anxiety experienced by the family and reflecting this to the child negatively affects the child.
Allow him to socialize
Emphasizing that it is necessary to look at the issue from two aspects in chronic diseases in children, Specialist Psychologist Aynur Sayım made the following recommendations:
"The difficult life event experienced by the child and the general development of the child. These two factors should determine the approach. If we consider that factors such as the problem, disease, degree of the disease, course of the disease, treatment process, family relationships, socioeconomic level that each family experiences differ from each other, it is necessary to make a rehabilitation program for that family. Maintaining social relations in accordance with the course and conditions of the disease, social development, emotional development are extremely valuable for the mental health of the child. There should be a program to ensure that the sociality of the family is not reset and that the child is allowed to meet with peers."