To Örebro University

Background and Aims: Children diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) typically undergo intense treatment with frequent hospitalizations. Medical, as well as existential fears have been identified. It has also been found that children's coping strategies develop during their illness trajectory. The literature on what children with ALL find to be valuable support from parents when experiencing fear is sparse. Thus, the aim of this presentation is to describe what young children find to be important support from their parents when experiencing fear related to ALL.

Methods: The study had a longitudinal descriptive qualitative design. Thirteen children (3 girls and 10 boys), initially 5-9 years old were interviewed once to three times during their treatment period (approximately 2 months after the diagnosis, after 1 year, and at end of treatment). Data were analyzed using a matrix-based qualitative analysis method.

Results: The parents’ physical and emotional closeness was the most frequently reported support. It eased the children's medical and existential fears. The children also found it supportive when the parents facilitated for them to participate in their care and when the parents acted as their advocate. Other supportive measures were offering distraction, talking to the child about their fears, assisting the professionals in alleviating pain and fear, being playful and encouraging. Five children also appreciated when their parents restricted them, during medical procedures. The experiences of support varied between children and between different time points during treatment.

Conclusions: Although being quite young, the children were able to describe what they found to be supportive when experiencing fear, or for preventing fear. The parental support had an impact on the child's emotional, social and physical wellbeing. Professionals should encourage parents to stay with their child, and offer support to the parents, so that they in turn can support their child.