Life After Cancer | Patient Centered Care and Trauma Informed Care for Pediatric Patients - HEALTHCARE TOOLBOX

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress

For many children with cancer, life after treatment can take some adjustment, especially for preteens and teens.

For many children with cancer, life after treatment can take some adjustment, especially for preteens and teens. Adjusting to their "new normal", as many survivors call it, takes time. Some survivors may need to learn to cope with a different physical appearance and other may have to cope new physical limitations. These changes can be difficult to deal with as a teen, when their peers are hyper-focused on appearance and expressing their independence. As a healthcare provider or parent, you can help your patient or child transition to their new normal easier by keeping the following tips in mind:

Give it time: Each family member will react in a different way. Allow everyone time to re-adjust.
Keep a routine: Make sure your child knows what to expect each day.
Help your child have fun, as much as the illness or injury allows: Keep them connected to family and friends. Help them get back to things they enjoy.

What other tips do you have to help teens cope with their new normal?