[Dear parents ...: the communication of the diagnosis of leukemia].

Abstract

The diagnosis of childhood cancer is very dramatic and stressful. The management of the communication process has important influences on all involved: the child her/his parents other family members and all the health care personnel that work and care for the child. There are no ready to use rules about when, how and what should be explained. The most relevant suggestions for parents and their children are presented in a recently published book. Instead of providing a list of suggested behaviours, the communication process of the diagnosis to the child is illustrated with vignettes that stress (often with paradoxes) the point of view of the child.