Childhood grief following the loss of a newborn sibling: a case study from the perspective of the child and her mother

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the experience of child grief due to the death of a sibling during the neonatal period, with a focus on parental communication in this process. Child grief is related to the child’s psychoaffective and cognitive development, being influenced by what is said to the child about death and the openness to share feelings. In Western culture, adults assume that children do not understand death and, to protect them, avoid the subject or use metaphors, which can hinder child grief, making it an unacknowledged grief. A qualitative case study was conducted through interviews with a child and her mother, employing a play-based resource to mediate the child's interview. Content analysis revealed that parental communication and the opportunity to participate in symbolic rituals influence childhood grief, with parental availability supporting the processing of loss and reducing the risk of complicated grief. It was also observed that parents find it difficult to discuss the topic, indicating the need to support adult grief to promote adequate care for childhood grief. The study highlights the importance of giving visibility to childhood grief, which remains neglected, and contributes to guiding appropriate care.