How do I cope with the loss of a child?
No parent is ever prepared to experience the loss of a child. Everything that has been hoped for, dreamed about and worked for up to that moment just ends. It is heartbreak like no other.
No matter how one loses a child, whether by prolonged illness or sudden death, the loss of a child is perhaps the most profound, the most overwhelming, and the most inconsolable of all losses to deal with.
After a child dies, the caring role ends and life will never be the same. It has been described as being a more intense grief than any other type of loss. It is a period of great change and conflicting emotions.
People experience a wide range of emotions after the loss of a child such as guilt, disbelief, or anger, which can manifest into the inability to eat or sleep or a whole range of emotional and physical symptoms. Grief, regardless of how it manifests, is a unique personal experience for the parent and for the rest of the family.