ABSTRACT
A child's comprehension of and reaction to death change with development: cognitive, social, spiritual, and moral. This chapter assists caring adults in supporting children and teens through the anticipated death of someone they love. It presents a handout, which can be supplied to parents and other caregivers of children experiencing anticipatory grief. Family counselors, support group leaders, school counselors, hospital- or hospice-based social workers may all have the task of guiding families through the experience of a family member's or friend's death. Those caring for children should be reminded that grief is not a linear process, nor does it have a steady increase or decrease of intensity. The three components of death are: end of physical activity, its irreversibility, and its universality. The handout has three sections giving instructions for: helping the child to understand the approaching death; helping the child to say goodbye; and helping the child during the funeral.
