Let it flow: Adults should help children cope with loss and mourning

Doctors who treat children and teens know the health impact that serious losses can have on their health and development. — Andreapetrlik/Dreamstime/TNS

DEATH creates a deep, lifelong impact for kids in every part of the world. In the United States, around one in 20 children will lose a parent by age 16 – and countless others will grieve for a grandparent, sibling or someone else they love.

Doctors who treat children and teens know the health impact that serious losses like these can have on their health and development. In a busy practice, paediatricians see at least one child per week who may be grieving the death of a relative or friend. Here’s what to know when your child is mourning a loved one – and how your paediatrician can help.