Bereavement following the death of a child: Implications for family therapy

The death of a child, is perhaps one of the most excruciating events that a family could experience. Although much literature exists on the short-term effects of child death, little is written on the long-term family repercussions.This article briefly reviews the literature on bereavement, and then focuses on the effects of child death in the family. Issues of specific interest to the family therapist are highlighted.