Coping with grief, loss and change

Coping with grief, loss and change

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How any child or young person grieves when someone they love has died will depend on many things. Bereaved children and teenagers will need ongoing attention, reassurance and support. It is not unusual for grief to resurface later on, even well after the death.
Finding your way through the sadness and pain of the loss of a precious child is the toughest of tasks. Some parents describe searching for their child who has died and question themselves for doing so. But such reactions are normal reactions to an awful and terrible event.
What do bereaved children need? After a death, many children want to share their story. They may want to tell you what happened, where they were when they were told about the death, and what it was like for them. Telling their story is a healing experience. One of the best ways adults can help young grievers is to listen to their stories.
Bereaved children and young people may experience a wide range of ongoing grief reactions, as adults do, but their age and stage, personality and family situation will affect their experience and expression of it.
Facing the death of your own child is one of the toughest life experiences. It may have been expected after illness, or unexpected and sudden. Some information you may find helpful.