Parenting a child who's ill presents its challenges. The minute the temperature rises, behavior can get heated as well, no matter what the child's age or condition may be. The staff at Children's Memorial Hospital recommends you listen to your child and acknowledge her feelings, use age-appropriate words to explain what's going on, and stay consistent and firm regarding medication and treatment. In addition, they recommend parents, sick children, doctors and even siblings discuss the situation and review the treatment plan together. The following strategies, observations and resources were developed with the help of medical experts and parents like you. These strategies will help parents care for critically ill children, and may also apply to kids with everyday illnesses and colds. Communicating With a Critically Ill Child Find parenting strategies and age-appropriate discussion tips for talking and living with a child who's ill. CONTINUE Getting Children to Take Their Medicine Try helpful tips that work for kids with critical and common illnesses. CONTINUE Kid-Friendly Medical Index Explain medical terms using language kids can understand. CONTINUE Maintaining Normalcy Learn how three parents cope and find hope by resuming day-to-day routines. LAUNCH Coping With Loss Tom Ford, a teenage cancer survivor, talks about losing a friend to the disease. VIEW VIDEO: 56K 220K National Institutes of Health This site contains advanced information on specific conditions, drug information and special programs. Visit the Resources page for more information about caring for a critically ill child.