When Your Child Has a Chronic Medical Illness: A Guide for the Parenting Journey

Psychologist Sileo and family therapist Potter prove to be profoundly sympathetic guides in this take on the “unexpected journey” of having a child who is diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness. The authors first focus on helping parents take care of themselves so they can better care for their child: Sileo and Potter validate emotions such as stress, anger, fear, and guilt, and suggest mindfulness techniques to combat burnout. From there, they touch on specific parenting skills, such as communicating with a child about their illness honestly and age-appropriately (“younger children may understand things better with pictures,” they advise). The authors also touch on medical practicalities, such as understanding how to work with a child’s medical team, helping a child adhere to a medication plan, and managing a hospital stay (one way to tackle boredom and homesickness is to ditch screen time limits). Sileo and Potter offer realistic comfort and directly applicable skill-building in equal measure. The wise advice and helpful tips will leave parents feeling well-equipped to face steep challenges. (Feb.)