BREAST CANCER/PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN
Latency age children may have lots of questions. Some children will be more curious than others; try to answer all questions as briefly and honestly as possible. Answer only what you are asked. Remember to think of this the way you would health or sex education, if you do not know the answer, say so.
Children this age also need reassurance that they will be cared for while you are in the hospital or having treatments. They need to know that their daily lives and routines will be disrupted as little as possible. If you will be spending time in the hospital, they may like to have a calendar to mark off the days you will be away. Some might like a special blank book to write or draw in. Others might want to write you notes while you are in the hospital; give them paper, cards, envelopes, and stamps. Frequent short phone calls are a boon.
Invite your children to accompany you to the hospital when you are going for a short appointment. Particularly if you ask your doctor or nurse to suggest a good time for a visit, your children will be welcomed; they will be interested in meeting your caregivers and seeing where you are spending so much time. Children are rarely frightened by the treatment areas; indeed, they are generally quite reassured by seeing them. Their fantasies are much more frightening than the realities.
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