Telling your kids about your cardiac arrest or ECMO: what to ask and what to say
What the sources say
Children want and need to know what is happening. A parent’s illness disrupts their routine and creates fear of the unknown.Source:American Family Physician
Children need simple, honest answers to their questions, given by the most important adults in their lives, their parents or caregivers.Source:American Family Physician
Parents may underestimate how distressed their children are.Source:American Family Physician
Social workers and child life specialists, professionals trained to help children cope with illness and hospitals, can support you.Source:American Family Physician
Children’s reactions can include emotional upset, minor illnesses, and trouble sleeping and eating. Visiting the sick parent has been found to lessen these effects.Source:American Family Physician
Questions to ask your care team
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Call 911 if...
- If anyone in the family is thinking about harming themselves, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.Source:988 Lifeline
Quick answers
How do I tell my kids I had a cardiac arrest?
Give them simple, honest answers yourself, in words that fit their ages. A family physicians journal says children want and need to know what is happening, and that social workers and child life specialists are trained to help families with this.
Source:American Family PhysicianWhere this comes from
General information, not medical advice. Talk to your care team.