Introduction
Supporting children through all stages of development is a vital role of childhood professionals working with them. Children’s reaction to a family loss may seem different from an adult’s; however, children of various ages also express grief. The present action plan will include information about grief in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and offer ways of helping children of these ages through a family loss.
Supporting an Infant
People often believe that infants do not experience grief due to their inability to verbalize or express it. Nevertheless, infants can feel the loss of someone’s voice and touch while also sensing the response of their caregivers to loss (TLC). In response to a death in the family, infants may develop a decrease in the activity level or appetite, increased irritability, and sleep disturbances. According to the TLC, these changes are often due to disruptions in the care routine.
The process of helping an infant through a family loss should be focused on restoring and maintaining a routine, as well as ensuring proper nutrition and sleep. For instance, TLC recommends responding to decreased activity levels by continuing regular play routines. Caregivers should also be encouraged to monitor infants’ nutrition and visit a pediatrician in case of weight loss.
Supporting a Toddler
A toddler does not understand that a person is gone forever, and thus his or her reactions will be caused by missing the person in a particular moment. For example, according to The Dougy Center, “The child will miss the specific elements of the person: the sound of the voice, expression, smell, activities experienced together.” Emotions experienced by children as a result of grief, such as anger or fear, can be expressed in their play, which is why it is essential to monitor changes in activities. Also, toddlers often react to a loss physically, showing a decreased appetite, sleep disturbances, and personality changes.
Supporting a toddler through a family loss includes three main considerations. First of all, it is critical to explain the concept of death to a toddler. The Dougy Center recommends that adults explain death in concrete terms. Secondly, caregivers and childhood professionals should watch out for any changes in activities or personality. It is essential to support the toddler in expressing emotions physically or through play while also promoting verbal connectedness (The Dougy Center). Finally, caregivers should be advised about possible changes to sleep and nutrition patterns so that they could ensure that a toddler maintains a regular rest and nutrition routine.
Supporting a Preschooler
Preschoolers have an increased capacity for verbal communication and thus can express their grief and emotions verbally. However, the concept of death may still be unfamiliar to them. As noted by The Dougy Center, children of this age can also experience and express various emotions as a result of the loss, including guilt and fear. Changes in personality and play patterns are also characteristic of preschoolers’ grief.
To support a child in grief, it is essential to address the child’s emotions and to show how to accept death (The Dougy Center). For instance, explaining why the person died and answering the child’s questions can help to improve a preschooler’s understanding of death and to cope. Also, to support verbal communication of emotions, caregivers could use action descriptions during play, thus verbalizing the child’s physical actions. Lastly, caregivers should not attempt to erase the memories of the dead family member in order to ease the grieving process. On the contrary, they could offer pictures or possessions of the deceased family member to a preschooler (The Dougy Center). This would help to support the child through the loss and promote positive coping strategies.
Conclusion
Overall, resources indicate the need to address young children’s grief consistently and thoroughly. Thus, apart from working with children directly, childhood professionals should recommend resources for parents to help them understand the child’s grief. For instance, the Shore Grief Center and GriefShare for Children & Teens offer programs for children and resources for parents to cope with a family loss.
Works Cited
The Dougy Center. “Young Children and Grief.” Kids’ Aid, n.d., Web.
TLC. “Infant and Toddler Grief.” Starr Commonwealth. 2013, Web.