ABSTRACT
This chapter concerns what very sick children think and feel about their illness, how they behave, and how they can be helped if they are distressed. The children’s psychiatrist, in particular, has knowledge of children’s ways of thinking and their emotional reactions, and has developed experience in relating to children. With these skills he is sometimes asked to advise because a child is showing some uncharacteristic behaviour, or emotional reaction, while ill, or in hospital. Social workers and doctors in various parts of the world have documented their experiences of looking after the physical and emotional welfare of children with life-threatening diseases. As Dr Burton has already stressed some advocate telling the children the name of their illness and their outlook for the future. Parents’ mental anguish clearly has an effect on the children, not always directly but usually by the changes in relationship between themselves and in their behaviour towards the child.
