title: [Being the sibling of a child suffering from cancer: a support group].
abstract: This paper offers a reflection on the family life and that of the siblings of a child with cancer. We will present our intervention model developed jointly by the pediatric oncology and the pediatric psychiatry units at the University Hospital CHUV in Lausanne. It is known that siblings show difficulties in dealing with the ambivalent emotions triggered by the sickness of a brother or sister. Their defence mechanisms can be heavy and may have consequences on the child's psycho-affective development and on the dynamics of the whole family. Speech groups allow the siblings to unfold an experience which is often irrepresentable. They also permit remobilization of affects frozen by the illness. This model used since 2006 in our unit responds to the wish to improve the quality of care of heavily sick children.
authors.affiliation: Service universitaire de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, Pédopsychiatrie de Liaison-CHUV, Lausanne. francoise.santarelli@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santarelli-Menegon
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Von der Weid
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Nix Carole
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Muller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005195:Family Relations; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*