Children also need to know that Parkinson’s is not contagious. They can’t catch it like they can get a cold or the chicken pox. Older children also may be worried that, since they’re related to you, they will contract the disease themselves eventually. But with today’s research leading in the direction of predisposition combined with environmental factors, you can com- fortably reassure them that is not likely to happen. As unlikely as it sounds to an adult, young children may need to be told that it’s not their fault a parent has Parkinson’s. Be aware of what child development experts call “magical thinking,” which is normal and common. Children can feel guilty.
