Easing worries around death with a child

A fear of death and of parents dying is surprisingly common among four to eight-year-olds. 

If it has been an issue for six months, it can be diagnosed a phobia — thanatophobia.

Fear of a parent dying directly threatens a child’s need for protection and security, explains Joanna Fortune, clinical psychotherapist and director of Solamh Parent-Child Relationship Clinic.