Manage Childhood Cancer Stress

Manage Childhood Cancer Stress
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on unsplash

The moment the doctor utters the words, “Your child has cancer” your world is turned upside down. And what follows after the initial shock is stress. It can be extremely stressful for both you and your child as you try to comprehend the disease, the medical jargon and what lies ahead. But, it’s important to recognize that this stress is a normal reaction to the situation. As a matter of fact, there are ways to help manage childhood cancer stress. 

Stress – A Companion to Cancer

It’s not surprising that stress is a frequent companion to cancer. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) highlights the importance of finding calm and inner stillness. Moreover, they suggest this is a way to facilitate a healthy distance from the stress that cancer can cause. For example, they recommend setting aside a few minutes every hour to relax and enjoy a sense of calm.  Or stepping away from the stress by taking a few deep breaths filling the chest and abdomen. Then closing your eyes and relaxing your jaw muscles. As a matter of fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, lowering stress can improve a child’s mood and help reduce pain and discomfort. Accordingly, they suggest looking for ways to help your child let go of stress and frustration. This may include integrative practices such as guided imagery, deep breathing and distraction.

Managing Stress

The approach for managing this stress is to find coping strategies that can help minimize stressful situations. These strategies are unique to each of us. And what works for one person may be different from what works for another.  The key is to identify strategies that work best for your child. The goal is to help minimize their feelings of anxiety, stress and worry.

Distraction and Keeping Busy

Distraction is one of the most common ways that people manage stress and anxiety. It can be a great tool to use with your child. Providing a distraction that requires their full attention and focus will help redirect their mind away from their stress. The distraction might be using a laptop, tablet or gaming system like the ones that Mikey’s Way distributes. It could be reading a book together or listening to music. Or perhaps practicing meditation or arranging an outing with a special friend.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness can be a helpful tool to use when your child’s mind is racing with worry and fear. By placing focus on the present and what your child can control at the moment, their attention can shift away from the stressful situation. Breathing exercises and meditation are excellent techniques for this purpose. There are many books and resources available which offer guided meditation and mindfulness instructions. You can also find numerous articles on-line including our blog post on practicing mindfulness.

Schedule Wisely

Many people find it helpful to schedule tests early in the morning and/or early in the week. This gives less time for anxiety to build. When you’re already feeling anxious, waiting can certainly make it worse.

Other Resources

Talk with your child’s health care team about your child’s stress. They may offer other suggestions and steps to help your child feel better.

Here are three great websites to visit for further suggestions: