Family support following a recent diagnosis and the start of treatment for childhood cancer

Abstract

Pediatric oncology is an area for professional development where the psychologist performs a crucial role. Different psycho-social aspects of the systemic approach to childhood cancer are described throughout this article. The first part summarizes the main biological aspects of cancer, followed by a review of the theoretical premises required for the study and understanding of these familiar realities, deepening on the Psychosocial Typology of Illness (Rolland, 2000). Furthermore, there is a review of the main risk and protection factors in families with one child with childhood cancer and also the exposition of different considerations related to the communication of the diagnosis and the adaptation to the hospitalization. In this article, a professional action protocol systematizing the psychological intervention intended to help this type of families is presented. This protocol is based on our personal clinical experience in the Paediatric Oncology Unit at Hospital “Virgen del Rocío” in Seville (Spain). Particularly, in this protocol the psychological intervention that take place during the diagnosis and at the beginning of the treatment of patients with childhood cancer is described, according to the proposed objectives. Finally, different practical considerations are discussed related to the described protocol.