Grieving the Death of Our Child During the Coronavirus Pandemic

One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends The world remains in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. For some of us, the reality has come too close to home. If your child has died during this time of crisis, we offer our heartfelt condolences. The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is a national charity whose members have experienced the loss of a child, of any age and in any circumstances. We stand with you in compassion and solidarity. In this short leaflet we will look at how to cope with the pain and grief caused by the death of a child during the pandemic, whether or not their death was due directly to Covid-19 or from some other cause. This is written from our perspectives and experiences as bereaved parents. (This leaflet is addressed primarily to parents, but could also be relevant to other close family members, including grandparents and adult siblings.) Surviving the shock and heartbreak When a child dies, the shock, heartbreak and disbelief we suffer as parents is overwhelming. The present circumstances might make our grief even more intense. For instance, we might have had limited opportunities to show our love and care in person, or perhaps to hold them in their last moments. Not being able to say ‘goodbye’ in the way we would wish, including restrictions on funeral arrangements, may leave us feeling frustrated and disempowered. We may also find that we are deprived of the comfort of family and friends due to social distancing and travel restrictions. Grieving the Death of Our Child During the Coronavirus Pandemic