Pediatria pre prax 4/2016

Physical and emotional symptoms in bereaved children. A call for help

Physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms in bereaved children after the loss of loved one (e.g. respiratory infections, feeding disorders, sleep disturbances, abdominal pain, headaches, aggressive behavior, excessive crying, refusal of the contact with peers and adults) could be signs of deep grief and a signal that a bereaved child needs professional psychological help from grief therapist and counselor. Majority of families with children after the loss of loved person and families after the loss of a child that asked for professional help in PLAMIENOK Grief Centre in 2011-2015 asked for individual sessions. Families asked for help because of significant grief symptoms that their children or themselves suffered as well as for prevention when these symptoms were mild. Majority of children who attended the centre was from 8 to 12 years old, most children lost their parent. Most frequent cause of the death was cancer disease.

Keywords: grieving child, loss, physical and emotional symptoms, pathological grief, grief therapy