Dealing with a cancer diagnosis for your child can be traumatic. Pediatric brain tumors make the worst nightmare for parents as they present immense medical, physical, and cognitive challenges. Your kid may suffer from hearing and vision loss, learning disabilities, and seizures. Moreover, your family has to go through emotional and social struggles around the entire situation. Survival for a parent is hard as nothing gets more painful than seeing your child in pain. But restoring a sense of normalcy is crucial for the child, yourself, and other children in the family. Here are some tips you can rely on while navigating the challenging journey.
Hold yourself together
The first blow is the hardest to bear, but you must hold yourself together. Since a kid may be too young to understand the implications of the diagnosis, you have to do the heavy lifting. The best way to handle things is by being strong and staying calm. Seek support from your partner and family as you will need all you can get to stay sane. Your pediatrician can be the guiding light you can rely on. Remember that it is alright to feel the pain, but breaking down in front of the child is a no-no.
Get your facts right
When your child gets a brain tumor diagnosis, getting educated about the condition should be a priority. You will want to get every piece of information out there, from symptoms to diagnosis, treatment, and mortality rates. But it is crucial to pick reliable neuro-oncology resources to get your facts right. Going too broad with your searches can do more harm than good. It can lead you to inaccurate and scary information. Your medical provider is the best person to ask for recommendations.
Keep communication lines open
As a parent, you must keep your communication lines open both ways. Connect with your doctor, therapist, or social worker to share your concerns. At the same time, be there to talk to your child about the treatment plan. You will also have to discuss the road ahead with other children in the family because they are a part of the journey. Kids are stronger than you imagine, so do not worry about communicating the facts. But make sure you do it in an age-appropriate way so that they feel easy with the idea of a sibling going through treatment.
Adapt to the new normal
You cannot expect life to be the same after a pediatric cancer diagnosis in the family. Understand the new normal and ensure that everyone in the family adapts to it. The school will be different, sports may no longer happen for the child, and outings and holidays may change during treatment. But you can find ways to make life as normal as possible. Discuss options with your children, school teachers, and parents of other kids with the same condition. Make the new normal positive and fun for the child, and they will probably adapt sooner than you think.
Most importantly, remember that you need as much care as the child does. Invest in self-care and be kind to yourself as you cope with the biggest challenge of your life.
