Pages

Telling Your Children About Your Breast Cancer Diagnosis

How to let kids know that you have breast cancer
One of the things you're going to do when you get diagnosed with cancer is to tell your children about it. It's going to be very difficult and distressing time for you all, but it's important for you and your family to talk about it in order for you to continue with your treatment. Some experts believe that telling people about cancer can be a constructive step in the treatment process.

Cancer patients often misjudge how much support they can reduce their children while they are suffering from cancer. The first reaction is to try to shield their children from shocking news, after all intuitive mother is protected. Most experts believe that it is important to discuss the cancer with your children and to be truthful with them. Children can be very informative and often feel there is something wrong. They can hear you over the phone or talk to your partner and begin to imagine the worst possible conditions, causing them more anxiety than necessary.

You are more likely to feel very bad when you tell the children stories about your cancer, so try to have a plan in place for how you say, and what facts you choose to give them. They are bound to ask lots of questions, so if you have a plan in place you will feel more in control of the situation. If you have more than one child you can choose to say, especially as older may be able to record more information than younger.

Explain the facts about cancer to your children so they are ready
Keep the conversation very facts, explain what has happened and give them basic information about the illness, if they know what to expect, it will be easier for them to succeed. It is important that you tell them that the doctors are doing everything they can to help you and give you treatment to help you get better. If you are going to have radiotherapy or chemotherapy, you should explain to them what is going to happen and possible side effects. If you need surgery, explain that you will be in hospital for a while, but they can come and visit you as often as possible. If they see you in the environment it may make it less scary for them.

Many experts believe that being positive for the disease goes a long way in helping your recovery, so be positive when you talk to your children about your cancer. They can have very negative thoughts about cancer if they know of someone who has died from it before. Communicate with them and tell them about all the research and increase funding that goes to help cancer patients every day.

If after reading this article you still feel you are unable to tell your children about your cancer, you can ask your partner or someone else your family to help you out. If possible it should be there when they tell them that this will provide them with certainty. Even if you feel you can not talk to them, give them the idea to make them feel safer.

After the child has all the facts and live with you through an illness that you may begin to see them take. If this starts to happen it is important that you get them to talk. If you do not think you can help, you may need to contact an expert. Start with your family doctor, it should be able to point you in the right direction.