How do you provide emotional support to a pediatric patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia?

For World ALL Day 2024, Vanessa Marais, a clinical psychologist from South Africa, shared insights on how to provide emotional support to pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia can experience high levels of depression and anxiety during and following treatment. Interventional mental health services can help manage emotional side effects and a psychologist can evaluate for late side effects to provide support and coping mechanisms. Offering support to parents and children by validating their emotions can facilitate a higher quality of life for the whole family.