Health Tip: Discussing Death With Children

Help them understand

Related Encyclopedia • Acne • Alagille Syndrome • Alzheimer's Disease • Appendicitis More... Related Healthscout Videos Importance of Good Nutrition Picture Perfect Smile Controlling Incontinence Preventing Heart Disease the Easy Way More... Related Animations • Alzheimer's Disease Video Animation • Dental Cavities • Erectile Dysfunction • What is a Heart Attack? More... Related Drug Information • Actonel • Adderal XR • Concerta • Coumadin More... Related News Articles • Beta Blockers Help Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients • Health Tip: Monitoring What You Drink • Trauma Center Counseling Reduces Kids' Repeat Injuries • Aging Brain Can Learn New Tricks More...

(HealthDay News) -- Death may be difficult to comprehend at any age, but it can be particularly confusing and scary to young children.

Text Continues Below

---

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions when talking to children about death:

• Keep your explanation honest, simple, and on a level that's appropriate for the child's age.
• Understand that death can cause fears and confusion in many children.
• Talk about it as openly as possible when they ask questions or if a situation occurs that requires you to discuss it.
• Talk about your feelings -- fear, sadness, anger and anything else you feel. Show your child that the emotions they have are normal.
• Help children understand that they had nothing to do with the death. The person did not die because of something the children did, and they could not have prevented it from happening.

-- Diana Kohnle