LAUSR

81Background: Parents with dependent children express concerns about cancer’s impact on children, and describe challenges with communication, such as deciding how to share news of a diagnosis (Asbury et al., 2014). Though open communication may contribute to better adjustment in children (Lindqvist et al., 2007), little is known about how parents typically talk to children at different developmental stages about their illness, and how soon information is shared after diagnosis. Methods: Five clinicians from a well-established parent guidance program provided 109 consultations to patients (68% female) treated in an urban Comprehensive Cancer Center and/or their co-parent. Consults occurred in outpatient offices (29%), inpatient units (37%) and by telephone (34%). Afterward, clinicians completed a questionnaire about parents’ communication with their children about cancer. Descriptive statistics summarize information shared by patient groups with different characteristics. Results: Children of patients rang...