This story gradually builds up to provide information for a young child. If you used this story with a child or suggested its use to a parent, how would you accommodate the child’s cognitive ability? Children and parents do not always fully comprehend what a situation will be like, which adds to their anxiety.

This poem explores bite-size issues at a pace a child can understand. Keeping the story simple allows exploration of issues that may trouble or interest the child and guides a parent or professional to the type of information a young child can take in. The following is a list of suggestions, not definitive answers:

Presents physical realities, e.g. the brother is in an incubator and will be there for some time, he is very small, there are tubes and machines

• Once used to idea of tubes and beeping machines, it facilitates a simple explanation of what they do.
• Child is involved in brother’s progress and actively encouraged (e.g. to draw pictures or talk to him).
• It allows realistic planning for the future – in this case that the brother will be coming home soon!