Therapist Lisa Lieberman stresses that it is impor- tant to make the information available to kids at a developmentally appropriate level. Particularly at first, you may want to talk to each child individ- ually if they have different information needs. A six-year-old may just need to be told that a part of mommy’s brain isn’t working like it should, and that makes her move funny, but she’s going to be okay. An adolescent may need more specific infor- mation about the disease. Outside resources can help in guiding your discus- sions. The American Parkinson Disease Association Inc. Young-Onset Information & Referral Center publishes a free booklet called My Mommy has.
