You are seeing a 10-year-old in the office with one of their parents. When asking about recent changes or concerns the family has, the parent shares with you that the grandmother that was living with them recently died from cancer. The parent shares with you that their child has begun to experience nightmares, difficulty concentrating, and grade changes. You want to offer some ways the parent can help with their child’s grieving process. Based on the presentation, some recommended ways to help this 10-year-old include which of the following sets of activities:
EXPLANATION
The activities outlined in A. are recommended for 3-5 year old children. The activities outlined in B are recommended for children 6-8 years of age. Children 9-11 years of age may understand that the grandmother’s death is final and irreversible but still may experience feelings of being sad, anxious, scared, confused, fearful, isolated, abandoned, lonely, or guilty. They may also have grade changes, periods of acting out, lack of concentration, nightmares, aggressive behavior, or become socially withdrawn. The activities outlined in answer choice C. are recommended to assist this age group. Finally, the activities in answer choice D are recommended for children 12-18 years of age.
See References listed at the end of The Grieving Process of Children Presentation
