While the physical repercussions of cancer are often the first thing that comes to mind following a diagnosis, it’s crucial not to underestimate the importance of psychosocial support when it comes to treatment.
For mental health specialists, treating someone with cancer can be unfamiliar territory. Treating a child with cancer can be particularly so.
“The older the child, the more impact the diagnosis,” says psychotherapist, Dr Karen Phillip.
“While many children have heard of the word cancer, they often connect it to something bad, painful, causing death or great illness, and often relate it to older people.
“The psychological impact can be immense.”
Children experience a wide range of emotions, many of which they don’t understand themselves.
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