ABSTRACT
The question of how death affects children, whether it is the child's own death or the death of a parent or of a sibling has interested clinicians, psychologists, and researchers for many years. It seems generally accepted that, under favourable circumstances, the stages of mourning that a child goes through are not dissimilar to those of adults. Stages of shock and numbness, denial, search, anger, guilt, bargain, despair, and acceptance are recognized as being part of healthy mourning. It is recognized that the best way to help children with the death of a parent or a close family member is by being honest and truthful, and by sharing with the child some of the grief and pain of the loss. Since the child is dependent on the adult for his survival and welfare, the attitudes to death of the surviving parent or closest carer are of paramount importance to the child's mourning process.
