Facing the death of a child : effects on the family system

The death of a child could very well be the most difficult crisis a family system can face. The uniqueness and severity of this type of crisis make it quite important for those in the counseling field to be aware of the many different aspects of a child\u27s death which may be very significant to the child\u27s family. For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to describe a number of variables which affect the healing process. These variables include the cause of death, the age of the child at the time of death, family dynamics, and the relationship between the surviving family members and the deceased child. Interventions which will be helpful in the healing process for all family members, and specific interventions for parents and for siblings are also included