Terminal Illness Research Paper

A terminal illness is an illness, such as cancer or heart disease, that has no cure and will eventually lead to death within a short period of time. A child with a terminal illness is not the only one that is affected; each family member is too. The whole lifestyle of a family changes when a child is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The changes in their lifestyle includes their relationships with others, school, work, and the roles within the family. The child with the terminal illness will experience a huge change in social situations. It is very common for the ill child to go through deep social isolation due to a few factors. The ill child’s friends and family play a huge role in the child’s possible social isolation,
When a family has an ill child, all sources of energy and time are put into them. Consequently, the sibling lacks attention and is at risk of developmental issues. Even though it has been found that siblings benefit from having an ill child in behavioral and supportive ways, they still suffer the social consequences of having an ill sibling. In most cases, siblings take on more roles and responsibilities in their family. Siblings tend to support and help out their families the best they can despite the consequences. The sibling views their role when helping out as laying low, “siblings make way for parents’ needs as care providers, albeit while risking the pains of isolation and sadness” (Webb 33). While this usually allows them to develop resilience, it also has its negative social impacts. When a child is diagnosed with a terminal illness, the household environment changes drastically. The atmosphere of the home can become uninviting to friends as it may be gloomy or make them feel uncomfortable. Thus, the sibling’s relationships with friends can be weakened as well. Due to the child’s illness, family plans can be cancelled or limited. For example, if the ill child is in a wheelchair then it would be hard for the family to go places that are not wheelchair friendly. This isn’t just a problem for the siblings, but
The children with the terminal illness tend to feel guilty, yet grateful, for the care they receive from their friends and family. However, there is a huge impact on their social life due to social isolation that is caused by their illness and other situational factors. The siblings tend to have more anxiety and stress, but in the end they benefit from their experiences. While the siblings do take on a lot of responsibilities, which can be a burden on them by putting their needs aside, they tend to learn from the responsibilities which benefits them in the future. As for the parent’s, they have many feelings of guilt, sadness, and anger which can eventually lead them into depression. They not only worry for themselves, but also for both their sick child and healthy children. The parents also have to deal with a huge financial burden, which can be one of the most significant stressors. This burden can be felt by the siblings causing them to feel like they have to take on more responsibilities. Each family member can enter social isolation whether it is because they don’t have a strong support system or because they withdraw from everyone around them. Overall, families who have a child with a terminal illness experience a lot more anxiety, stress, depression, financial burdens, and social issues compared to a family without a child with a terminal