Introduction: The causes of cancer in children are unknown in most cases. However, there is an assumption that it is a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Children are a particularly vulnerable part of the population, and certain specialities apply to the treatment of children with cancer. The diagnostic procedure certainly depends on the clinical suspicion of cancer. In most cases, very specific diagnostic procedures are required. The principle is that a child with a well-founded suspicion of cancer should be referred for diagnosis to a specialized institution. Communication with children plays an important role in their well-being during treatment, as well as with their families and healthcare professionals. It is therefore important for all healthcare professionals to have effective communication skills. Through good communication, healthcare professionals can identify the psychosocial needs of children and their families, improve their psychosocial adjustment, and help maintain their quality of life. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to present the role healthcare professionals play in communicating with a child with cancer and their family, and the role in confronting children and their parents with a diagnosis of cancer. Methods: A descriptive method of work was used to create the diploma work. A review of domestic and foreign literature published between 2010 and 2021 was carried out. The literature was obtained with the help of the following databases: CINAHL, ScienceDirect; and the web search engines Google Scholar, PubMed and DIKUL. In the diploma work, professional, original and transparent scientific articles were used, which were available in the entire text. Results: Studies show that communication between healthcare professionals, the child and parents involves more than just the provision of information. All healthcare professionals have an important role to play; that is, caring for the psychosocial needs of parents and children diagnosed with cancer. The most important elements of care in the process of treating children diagnosed with cancer are: an empathic attitude, good communication, proper information and emotional support. Discussion and conclusion: Cancer is a life-threatening disease. The intensity of cancer treatment has profound short- and long-term effects on the physical, psychological, social and developmental health of children. It interferes with the lives of the child and their parents. Parents play an important role in the treatment and nursing of children and should be actively involved. Communication between healthcare professionals, children and parents is essential for a successful outcome of treatment and nursing.
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