If a parent is more irritable following chemotherapy, for instance, children can assume they are to blame for the parent's mood. Changes in household routine should be explained. The child's need for safety and security is the most significant issue that parents need to address. The message is that the parent is still in charge of the child's world and that the child's needs are still being provided for, in spite of the crisis the family is experiencing. Let children know the illness is not their fault.
Every parent knows that children engage in magical thinking.
When something unexpected happens, they can assume it's their fault. Since children will not often ask about this directly, parents should reassure their children that nothing they did had anything to do with the parent's illness. Include children in your recovery. It is important to find ways for your children to feel included in what is happening to you. Let them visit you in the hospital or the out-patient center where you will be receiving your care.