A hospice nurse is reinforcing teaching to a parent about how age affects how their child experiences a terminal illness. Which of the following statements should the nurse include?

A. "Adolescents may feel responsible for the illness." While younger children may engage in magical thinking and believe they caused their illness, adolescents typically have a more developed understanding of disease processes and are less likely to blame themselves. B. "Adolescents may feel frustrated for being dependent on others." Adolescents value independence and autonomy, so a terminal illness that forces them to rely on caregivers can lead to frustration, anger, and emotional distress. This struggle with dependency is a common psychosocial challenge in adolescent patients. C. "Children 3 to 5 years old are too young to understand the difference between life and death." Preschool-aged children may not fully grasp the permanence of death, but they do have some awareness of it. They often see death as temporary or reversible, influenced by their limited cognitive development and exposure to media or stories. D. "Children around 5 or 6 years old may try to be brave and shield loved ones from distress." While school-aged children may begin to understand the finality of death, the tendency to "be brave" and protect loved ones is more common in older children and adolescents, who have a stronger sense of emotional responsibility.