John Catrett: A Child’s Death is Shocking

The death of a child is always an appalling affair. Its effect is often felt widely and can have an impact on so many people including the extended family, school friends, and their families, as well as the teachers and staff from their schools. Working through grief can be a poignant process, but it is essential to ensure future emotional and physical well-being. Parental grieving for the loss of a baby involves acute emotional suffering and has implications for the quality of the relationship shared by the bereaved parents, the siblings, and extended family. Bonds that hold a relationship may be exposed to risks during the mourning process. The distinct forms of mourning between the couple create barriers to excellent communication and increase feelings of vulnerability. There are not only gender differences in dealing with such situations but also differences between women depending on the type of loss experienced. Men tend to worry, use social support and neglect the situation at home. Women are more likely to seek a spiritual comfort, use tension reduction tools, desirous thinking, and find advice from others who have experienced the same loss.