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Practice Commentary
J. Jay Jernick, MD
Arch Fam Med. 1994;3(1):83.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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A parent's death, and its consequent sense of profound abandonment, shatters the foundation of the surviving child. A foundation built on safety quickly crumbles in the wake of this loss. An appropriately adaptive bereavement process and the use of healthy coping skills by the child can begin to cement a new foundation. The family's physician should assume a pivotal role in starting this crucial process early in the course of grieving. Timely intervention can help spare the behavioral disorders caused by unresolved grief.
After the death of a parent, the physician can be most supportive to the family by listening, answering questions, educating on the normal grieving process, and, importantly, validating their grief. The physician can then guide the family to the most appropriate bereavement resources in their community. Table 6 in the article by Peterson et al provides an excellent bibliography of children's books. Further information on the various
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
Author Affiliations
Stanford Midpeninsula Health Center Palo Alto, Calif
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