Loss In Children

How is it that a loved one can be there one day and then suddenly gone forever? Death can be a traumatic experience for anyone, including children, especially the death of a parent or guardian. How do they react to an event such as this one? Children are sometimes not aware of the events happening around them; their tiny brains are still processing and unable to put together things correctly. However, they still have feelings and know when something does not seem right. There are positive, negative, and it depends perspectives, but they are all equally important. The loss of a parent has a tremendous effect on children and their childhood. Development is defined as “The pattern of change that begins at conception and continues through the lifespan” (Santrock G-3). Every event that …show more content…
Some of these include: depression, negative coping, complicated grief, and low self-esteem. In a study, children of parents who died of suicide, accidental death, or sudden natural death had higher rates of new-onset depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than non-bereaved comparison subjects (Brent). Depression and stress following the loss of a parent can come from the child feeling alone, over-whelmed, and abandoned (Aldridge). Grief is common after a loss and does not have a time limit on when it will go away. Brofenbrenner’s ecological theory states that development reflects the influence of several environmental systems. This theory identifies five environmental systems, however, the microsystem relates most to the subject. The microsystem is the setting in which the individual lives. This includes the person’s family, peers, school, and neighborhood (Santrock 27). The loss of a parent effects the setting in which the individual lives. The relationships with their peers can change, their behavior could be different at school, and their overall attitude could