title: Experiences in family bereavement.
abstract: These case studies illustrate the stories of two families grieving the losses of their children. Some 42,000 infants and children die yearly in the United States, but there is a dearth of research for professionals to draw on when considering the family as the context for grieving the loss of a child. These narratives illustrate the identity crisis the family as whole goes through after the death of a child-the sense of parental duty, the need for communication, and the goal of reunification of the family unit. These stories also provide direction for further research with bereaved families.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Paige N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States