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Children and young adults
Part of MND Australia
AUIndependent publisher
This describes who publishes a source, not how reliable it is.
Open source (opens in a new tab)Link checked August 2026
About this source
MND Australia's guidance for families on talking with children and young people about motor neurone disease: what children already sense, the worries they commonly have, how to answer their questions honestly at their level, and where families can get further help.
Where this source is used
Used in 4 places across 1 domain.
Questions
Support
Family Communication
- How do I talk with children and young people?
Supports this
“Children generally cope better with honest, age-appropriate information than with being left to work things out alone.”
MND Australia's guidance for families says experts report that young people cope better when they know what is happening and feel able to ask questions. It also advises answering questions truthfully in a way that suits the child's age and understanding, and being honest and supportive.
Experts report that young people are better able to cope if they know what is happening and feel okay asking questions.
Children & young adults - How do I talk with children and young people?
Supports this
“Children commonly worry that they caused the illness or that they could catch it, and neither of those worries is true.”
MND Australia lists these among the things children worry about that are not true, naming both the fear that they caused the person they love to get sick and the fear of catching MND.
They might worry about things that are not true.
Children & young adults - How do I talk with children and young people?
Supports this
“Told gently, the truth tends to be less frightening for a child than being left to imagine the worst.”
MND Australia says children often realise something is wrong without being told, and that without the facts they may imagine things to be worse than they are. It advises explaining what is happening as MND progresses so the child does not feel isolated.
Without the facts they might imagine things to be worse than they are.
Children & young adults - Why does communication within the family matter, and why is it hard?
Supports this
“Children often sense that something is wrong, and honest information pitched to their age helps them cope.”
MND Australia says children often realise something is wrong without being told, and that experts report young people cope better when they know what is happening and feel able to ask questions.
Experts report that young people are better able to cope if they know what is happening and feel okay asking questions.
Children & young adults
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