Similarities/Differences between Child and Adult Grief Process
Similarities
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Need to express grief openly Need to have their grief acknowledged by others Need extra support through the grief process Need assurance it was not their fault (magical thoughts) Need assurance they are not "going crazy"

Differences
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Child's grief: intermittent, sometimes seemingly absent Adult's grief: continual awareness and experience of loss Child's understanding of death: limited to their age and cognitive development Adult's understanding of death: more mature in their understanding Child's ability to remember the deceased: limited before puberty, may need help remembering Adult's ability to remember the deceased: fully developed memories are complete Child: grows up with the loss, grieves longer Adult: has already grown up when the death occurs Children: may talk openly about death Adults: have preconceived notions about how people respond and may not share their feelings Child: depends on a consistent caregiver to meet basic needs Adult: basic needs can be met by self

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Children's Response To The Death Of A Significant Other Depends Upon:
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The cause and type of death. The child's age, gender, and developmental level. The nature of the relationship with the deceased. The manner in which the child is informed about the death. How well the child is prepared for the death. The child's mental health and coping style prior to the death. The reality, honesty, and scope of the information given to the child. Other recent or concurrent losses in the children's/family's life. The openness of the family environment to allow and promote discussion of the death and expression of feelings about the death. The nature and availability of a healthy support system. The caregiver's ability to acknowledge and role-model grieving. The