Delivering Heartbreaking News to a Young Patient | Chicago Med | MD TV

[@trickster3696]

This has to be the worst part of being a doctor, knowing what's wrong and there's nothing you can do to fix it.

[@jeanneparisot237]

Yeah. Powerless is the worst feeling in the world.

[@jacquiethebibliophil]

And for the nurses too. If he were to have home health nurses you often come to love the child and the loss is awful too.

[@koolkittykat04]

@@silentstarlight3322Why did the doctor have you do that as a shadow? I could understand if you were already a med student, but shadows generally aren’t supposed to do that because it’s a liability.

[@honeybee2587]

Doctors and nurses don't get enough credit. We as the public forget that they are human too. And while modern medicine can do a lot now. There are times when doctors and nurses cannot do anything to help or cure someone. And they feel just as powerless when they cannot keep a patient from harm. After all doctors and nurses take an oath to do no harm. But what happens against a disease they cannot stop or cure? It's extremely gut wrenching.

[@jilla-dr9hu]

I agree. I couldn’t help but feel completely. Helpless. Telling the parents had to be hard and difficult in real situations like this

[@thenu7770]

It is hard to believe that Dr. Charles, played by Oliver Platt, isn't a real psychiatrist. He has totally nailed the role!!!

[@jugurthasyphax6341]

What do you mean? Platt isn't a real psychiatrist or Dr. Charles?

[@charlottethomsen8076]

@@jugurthasyphax6341I think they are trying to say that Platt has done such an amazing job portraying Dr Charles, that one could almost assume they were watching footage of a real psychiatrist interacting with patients.

[@theunhingedjournee]

His mother was a social worker

[@hellsmyhome8979]

ikr

[@faithcastillo9597]

​@@theunhingedjourneeI did not know that. He picked it up by osmosis. Adding this to another one of the reasons I love this man and his work.

[@wamengxiong0409]

Reminds me of the fact of "period of time" for diffeeent age groups: For a kid, months feel like forever. For an adult, years feel like a couple minutes. The reasoning is because of the percentage of life theyve lived.

[@terrimorrison2857]

My way of explaining it is how much of a percentage of your life is a year? To a 2 year old, it's half their life, so a really long time. Not that a 2 year old understands that. To a 5 year old, it's 20%, still a long time, but not as much. A 10 year old, 10%, a 20 year old, 5%. By the time you get to 50, a year is only 2%. A year is a short amount of time to them.

[@Gasssolo]

Dr. Charles is such a professional. He manages to deliver devastating news without offering false hope, but at the same time remain compassionate.

[@MaddoxMelton]

Yeah he’s my favorite. Best character in the show

[@-Lady_Rosie-]

When I tell you I started balling when he was explaining that he was making a “Instructional movie” for his little brother 😭😭😭

[@TheMD93]

I got misty-eyed just thinking about it. I'm a nurse and let me tell you I could NOT do peds for this reason

[@ThicccMadame]

Girl me too omg it broke my heart 😭😭😭

[@amossmith6215]

same

[@Tatianna1143]

Myself as well. I'm an older sister and I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't be there for my younger sister. Parker is braver than me

[@Desi1992]

I know the tears started welling up in me as well.

[@runsoncaffeine]

I love the approach that Dr. Charles took when explaining the illness by lifting Parker's spirits assuring him that he'd live longer than Parker thought. He made light of the situation and that's admirable behavior (even if it is a tv show).

[@everlasting9292]

It’s a tv show about real life things. Real diseases and illness. Real injuries and traumas that do happen to people. So folks can make a connection to it. The way they tell the stories and delve into the depths of the emotional side of much of this is actually very impressive, I think. Even the way it affects the doctors, cuz they’re people, too!

[@MikelosM]

It's also pretty realistic. To kids that age, 5 years feels like more than a lifetime. Adults getting that kind of news would break down over it because that's very little time (plus we have a better sense of our own mortality) and that's why being in a situation like the parents & worrying how to explain it is so scary. Perception of time dramatically changes as we age.

[@frankm.2850]

@@everlasting9292 Yeah, I'm guessing you never quite get used to dealing with cases like that.

[@feraltaco4783]

I want Dr Charles to be my therapist.

[@feraltaco4783]

​@@frankm.2850if you can get used to things like this, you aren't in the right profession. As much as it hurts, I never want to become accustomed to seeing anyone suffering, especially children.

[@fr0stw0lf97]

Damn, the kid imbraced his fate with such bravery. Nice episode

[@Augiegrl12]

No kidding. Making instructional videos for his little brother.. that really set me off with tears.

[@Loserkid420]

No hes just to innocen and nieve to know what 5 years means .

[@junbh2]

@@Loserkid420 To him 5 years is longer than he can even remember. It's a long time.

[@stephenking5852]

Is a vegetative state no different from being born without all five sense?

[@foolslayer9416]

Such heart for someone so young.

[@nikithegenius]

I teared up when the little boy said that 5 years is a long time 😢

[@supersaiyaman11589]

to a kid 5 years is a long time.i mean wene i was his age time seamed like it was moving slower for me.

[@kdizzle901]

To a kid 5 years is a lifetime

[@supersaiyaman11589]

its the same for me wene i was a kid time seamed to move slower now it seems to move faster for me.

[@Rhysdux]

At eight, five years would be more than half his lifetime.

[@Happyfroggo123]

Samte here

[@nikkiberns1365]

I love the word “yet”. I have a cousin who was born with a terminal illness that there’s still no definitive cure for-but even though his expected lifespan isn’t long, each year is a year in which a new treatment, maybe even a cure, can be found. And even though there still isn’t a cure for his illness, each year has brought new hope with reports of longer lifespans among other patients, more effective treatments, and his health hasn’t declined the closer he gets to his “expiration date”. “Yet” is a powerful word.

[@raggarbergman]

My uncle had leukemia 1985 and had a pretty aggresive form and no match for bone marrow. But about that time they had just found a way to purify his own bone marrow so they could make a donation to him from himself.

[@dietotaku]

@@raggarbergman that sounds like the early version of stem cell transplants. my MIL had lymphoma and they did a bone marrow transplant using her own stem cells. and speaking of new treatments bringing longer lifespans, my husband was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. it used to be 100% fatal within 5 years. now they have TKI meds that put the faulty bone marrow cells to sleep so they don't multiply, and it's become a disease you die with rather than one you die from.

[@SearchingOblivion]

@@dietotaku "a disease you die with rather than one you die from" that's a great way to say it, I'll remember that!

[@swimfast724]

Idk it can be really rough. I've been living with chronic illness since 2017 and I've had so many doctors tell me they think it's this and I do their treatment and they end up being wrong. That means not only did I go through painful treatment I also wasted 6 months on one that didn't do anything. I can't take any more false hope

[@brendacarlson6575]

Each day is so precious when we know that our loved one is only here for a short time. We seen to slow down and enjoy each moment, each day is a blessing. Time spent with someone who has only a short time has more significance, more enlighten, more peaceful. Their look on life is sharing time, love and happy memories with family and friends. I pray that your cousin will be able to be cured. God's love is eternal, whenever Time that comes.

[@cinemaipswich4636]

How honest are children. They know that they will die before they become an adult, but accept it, so as not to have their parents suffer.

[@suzannemcguinness8030]

To tell a child they're dying and make him smile is really special

[@iulaihe51299]

in the words of the king of the pirates gol d roger "When you're about to die, smile, it might be the last thing you ever do)

[@BeckaEmma1980]

I've been the parent receiving the news of a terminal, incurable degenerative disease for my child. I've been told he will live only a couple more years. My son turns 10 in February. This hit me HARD.

[@dankodev]

God bless you. I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through.

[@sarakaplan3791]

Wish I could give you a hug. Wishing your family peace.

[@melindaboyd9830]

My heart aches for you. I'm praying for you and your son. ❤

[@Quacks4toy]

I'm really sorry to hear that! Wish u and ur son the best ❤

[@rrancani444]

im so sorry. praying for you and your family ❤️

[@SeleniteQuartz]

man this little kid has such emotional capacity. “am i gonna die?” “yes” “am i gonna die in a year?” “no, way longer than that” and he takes it like a champ. the child actor is a 15/10, what a trooper.

[@Real_G077]

Goddamn, The kid is A warrior. The guy accept his fate.

[@williamwaters6803]

Little kids are made of iron on the inside. They accept what is as it is. Big hearts, eager minds, and soul made of solid iron

[@juliawalsh2572]

My mom is an orthopedic surgeon. She used to work at Valley Children's in Fresno, CA, and one of her coworkers there was a pediatric oncologist. This coworker specialized in treating cancer in children. I remember overhearing her saying something to the effect of, "How do I explain to parents that their child has leukemia and the chemotherapy will make them sicker before they die, and that that is the recommended treatment because it will buy them six months or a year with their child? And how do I explain that through a translator to these Hmong refugees who fled horror overseas, who don't even have a word for cancer, or leukemia, or red blood cells?" I would have been younger than eight years old when I overheard this. To me, this was a message of compassion. Somehow this doctor is still working, still treating these patients. Her patients do live longer now. Maybe that's a comfort too.

[@TeniBear10]

The kid actor deserves all the awards just for that seizure scene - I actually gasped! Flooded with tears right now, what a great and heartbreaking little story. Making the videos for the little brother, five years being a “long time”, I would hope I would handle such terrible news with so much grace.

[@cici2369]

Agreed ! He is such an incredible actor

[@laurenorourke2442]

as someone with epilepsy, he did a great job with that scene!

[@Sup_Jerk]

It may seem really unbelievable but I actually do know the actor who played the kid, he’s a great kid and I see him going very far

[@hothotheat3000]

Is that the kid from Iron Man 3?

[@christinahasting5828]

​@laurenorourke2442 I have seizures that look like epilepsy I've had them over half my life, and honestly, I don't know why or how people imitate seizures on movies and TV shows

[@sakurafalls2468]

When Sarah cried, I lost it. It reminds you that while medical professionals may seem composed on the outside, they feel such strong empathy and powerlessness that they, too, break down when delivering such horrendous news. I can't imagine how terrible that must be.

[@btsarmyforever3816]

A lot of adults/teens fear death. From what I have seen personally, a lot of kids don't. They fear pain and their parents getting hurt. Losing the ones around them. It's cause the kids just live in the moment. They don't care what the future holds too much. Dreams are different. They would even say, it's okay I can still play doctor/police with my toys then. As we grow older we start fearing things. It is why we consider kids as pure and innocent souls. This kid is ready to just leave future in the future and just live in the present times. Calm and collected. He doesn't fear the unknown.

[@kibauno]

I wish I could go back to being this way. Sure would make living life a lot easier.

[@brendalg4]

I am wondering if that's just what they show us on TV... And it's not really true

[@poodypooroo]

The only time I've come to fear death is now that I have a daughter, I fear leaving her life and not being able to watch her grow into a young woman and be the support for her that my dad has been for me. A friend of mine passed this year from a blocked coronary, I know it can happen and it can happen with zero warning and no matter what steps I take I can just get unlucky. I've got life insurance so if it does happen my wife and child can physically afford to continue on, beyond that it's just a matter of enjoying every moment of every day with them.

[@btsarmyforever3816]

@@poodypooroo I am glad you are living in the present. Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you. Think positive.

[@kirkygirl]

I *love* that idea of taking videos. First, on the clinical side, it helps to show practitioners what the beginning stages might look like, especially if photos and video are taken later with patient and family consent. Second, on the personal side, it gives the parents and the family a look back on who the person was and who they are currently, even if little brother might not understand it at the time.

[@eileensnow6153]

I don’t think they’re using those videos for clinical purposes tbh

[@kirkygirl]

@@eileensnow6153 neither do I, more for his family, but it's a thought. 😊

[@eileensnow6153]

@@kirkygirl yeah I think those videos would have way more value for the family. Although you’re right that they would want to further study his case, with the onset of the disease being so late

[@greenbeantm1096]

@@eileensnow6153I don’t think they are going to be used clinically but they could be useful for clinical reasons. Part of why rare conditions have so few treatment options and cures is because doctors/scientists/etc. can’t study them as well as common ones. If you have a sample group of 2 your gonna have less information to work with than with a sample group of 10.

[@rocklizardds]

​@@eileensnow6153 It could be both! They say it's a demyelinating disease that's affecting his nerves, so they could be using the video as a record and assessment of his fine motor function when he's tying the laces. Plus the added benefit of making memories for his brother and family, it's really sweet.

[@misterbin00]

Calling 5 years a 'long time' is very heartbreaking.

[@louiscyphre2267]

Nah. As a kid everything seems long. Except summer break. Those always went too fast.

[@pandroidgaxie]

Compared to his dog, it was.

[@marybell2897]

As young as he is, it is a long time to him. It's more than half his life so far.

[@rhenaissancepoet]

Him finding out he’s going to die in 5 years, thinking it’s a long time, and then filming videos to help his little brother do things for him … brave little boy

[@davidaikman1920]

That child took the news very well. Granted, he probably doesn’t fully understand what’s happening, but still very brave and willing to help others, for when he can’t anymore.

[@dazzlingcelery]

wow this one was a tear jerker. what a brave kid!

[@louiscyphre2267]

He’s an actor. There is no bravery.

[@amberanime]

@@louiscyphre2267 The point of actors is to portray characters in stories. The boy in this story can be considerd brave, regardles if the actor is or is not. In the same way that Tony Stark can be considerd a genius super hero even if his actor is not. As they say, duh. I personaly would argue the kid is not being brave however. Being brave requires being afraid. The kid doesnt seem afraid and mostly just practical/accepting or maybe just to young to really fear death.

[@maidahaltrecht6577]

It was for sure. When they showed the boy playing with the other kids and then the doctor crying in the washroom I just couldn't hold it in.

[@logant9546]

@@louiscyphre2267 Nothin gets past you huh

[@jaybear57]

We underestimate kids so much too often. I know this is a TV show but I know a 9 year old who has now passed away from cancer, who faced it as bravely as this kid in the show. He even made a friend in the hospital and played with her like nothing was wrong while he knew he was never leaving the hospital. I was so inspired by him.

[@Lily_of_the_Forest]

Oh I’m so sorry. That little boy was a true class act.

[@cherie7100]

If only there were more real Dr's like Dr Charles! He has such patience and understanding, which most actual Dr's just don't seem to have anymore. I know he's a character, but there is such a truth to his acting.

[@jbreezy4958]

He's also a psychiatrist, which makes him more attune to human behaviour and psyche than the average doctor.

[@deebullock9284]

Really really good actors make every character they portray believable!!! When they play a good guy/girl, you absolutely love them..when they play a bad/evil part, you absolutely hate them...that is full credit of that actor!!! The first movie I saw with John Malkovich, he played a monster in CON AIR..then I saw him in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, and absolutely fell in love with him!!! He is a consummate actor!!! Same with Jim Caviezel, a couple first movies I saw him in he played bad men, ugh, then came PASSION OF THE CHRIST and what it took to portray Jesus Christ!!!! Seen him on interviews, and this man is just beautiful!!! So sweet, loving, kind, that you just love him dearly!!! Consummate actor, real amazing man!!!!

[@Gmthekiller]

@@deebullock9284 Jim caviezel has one expression in his entire career lol

[@deebullock9284]

@@Gmthekiller you're being cruel

[@matthewgilfus1640]

Most doctors are in it for the money. You'd be surprised how many.

[@danieldevito6380]

People have no idea how grateful they should be just to be healthy.

[@mr.d.572]

Absolutely. I have a few medical conditions and when I tell people I'm grateful to be alive every morning when I wake up, no one really understands. They just take everything for granted.

[@acolytetojippity]

not including Dr. Charles' conversations with Reese is unfortunate. Him explaining that this is the most difficult part of medicine, and then explaining how the conversation normally goes, Reese's shock at the mention of the parents maybe wanting the doctors there when they tell the child ("The child actually needs to know.") And then him understanding that Reese wants to ask him to accompany her, even though she can't figure out how to put it into words.

[@davidf2244]

Best thing about Charles is that he always pushes others to try and try again, and doesn't take over until his hand is forced. He doesn't mind discomfort and difficulty. He welcomes it as part of the learning process. Brilliantly written character.

[@freedomwriter1995]

We have made all these incredible medical advances and yet we still can't cure the worst of our illnesses.

[@p1nk5p1d3r]

at least we can treat more simple but very lethal conditions. Trauma surgeons are saving thousands victims of various accidents

[@peter_pansexual6243]

That's one of the reasons why I'm for crispr or gene editing. I've also inherited a rare genetic mutation. They are currently still trying to figure out which gene is causing it.

[@toobig7399]

Genetic conditions are ***really*** hard to do anything about yeah.

[@freedomwriter1995]

@@peter_pansexual6243 I'm also talking about brain and neurological damage. Too many people suffer from paralysis and cerebral palsy and dementia and neuro degenerative illnesses like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

[@obamaprism4168]

@@freedomwriter1995well those are the most sensitive and important parts of our body so their needs to be a lot of things taken into account and figured out to stop treatments also hurting them

[@Noahsgirlfriend2006]

The fact that he’s making stuff for his brother is the sweetest thing ever

[@itz_coaltonnn]

When Sarah (Dr. Reese) entered the bathroom and broke down, i almost immediately did the same thing. ☹️ I can’t imagine how hard it’d be to tell a child they’ll die soon. 🥺 Let alone, she’s a doctor so she does that a lot! 😢But because they could have a long, long life ahead of them, they could have fun opportunities like marriage, children. But because of Parker’s disease and his upcoming death, he don’t have them. And it breaks my heart. 😭 Not only that, but I’m super emotional. When I see ppl cry, I cry (or at least start to) as well. 😕 Also wonderful acting. 😃 Parker depicting seizing was amazing. And Sarah’s break down was also very realistic! 😊

[@PennyDahl-k9j]

Im super emotional also!! I cry everyday about sad movies,love ones being sick,deaths,animals being abused, even when I stub my toe,so you ain't alone,I am sad way more than im happy

[@deniseeulert2503]

These days, when a child has a fatal condition it comes as a surprise to us, as when the parents were bewildered that there was no treatment. As my grandmother told me she never believed in "the good old days" because life is easier now, with technical and medical advances. Her mother lost three of the six children she bore, to things we have vaccines for now.

[@Tinky35]

And yet, we still have those few antivaxers. 😒😔

[@terri348]

Same for me. Grandmother ( mom's side) lost 3 children at a young age due to things we have vaccines for today. My mom lost 1 child- same thing. It took a doctor, more than a century ago, 25 years to come up with a vaccine for a single illness. In the meantime, many were stricken with the illness and died from it.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

​@@Tinky35no one is antivax to those that are proven....stop being a clown

[@Tinky35]

@BCTMB it is.

[@deniseeulert2503]

@@terri348 So sorry.

[@RedWolf777SG]

Life can be so unfair and cruel to those who didn’t deserve it. Especially when it happens to young children.

[@justcallmejessz3712]

Being honest with kids is often the best way for everyone to deal with harsh situations. They can handle so mich more then we give them credit for.

[@Luna_moon_1127]

Can we please talk about how sweet this kid is literally told he was going to die in five years and his first thought is ‘I need to make instructional videos for my brother so that he can learn the things that I learned if I’m too sick to teach him’ I know they’re TV characters and stuff but if this was actually real, I would’ve literally been crying for the little brother who would eventually lose his big brother😢 my best wishes to everybody who has family members who get this disease

[@mememe5196]

On the non-medical side, props to the kid actor for acting out and depicting a seizure, and for confronting/accepting bad news; and Dr. Reese for her break-down as well.

[@trashpanda2312]

i know this is a tv show, but I cant imagine having to tell another parent that their kid has a disease like that. when my mother way dying of cancer this year we had to go to a cancer hospital, broke my heart to see young kids there for treatment.

[@Whoisthiscantaloupe]

This is so bloody heartbreaking, I started crying. How do you tell a little boy that he's gonna die in 5 years? Oh, painful!

[@vadersfather1248]

The thing with children being told this kind of news they handle it with such strength that it belies their years

[@amyfletcher4749]

He is staying so positive...bless him!!

[@louiscyphre2267]

Of course because he’s acting.

[@cindygilmer2311]

We all need a Dr. Charles in our lives. I love him.

[@jenniferromero571]

Isn't it crazy how kids look for the best in things even when it's bad.

[@valfenia]

This is why I love Chicago Med. Sure, this is just a show, but I actually felt sad knowing what the parents would go through. Dr. Charles being one of my favourite characters of the show, too... he's explaining the situation pretty well!

[@miahsimone]

i just wanna say how much i LOVE reese, she is like one of my favs. the way she cares and how shes improved is so great! love her actress too !!!!

[@AmyJiang]

I love how she improved and grew over the series!

[@BitterCyder]

I wish she hadnt left 😭

[@carlossilverio7325]

Dr charles' impact when giving bad news, feels diferent, even knowing theres no hope left, he makes it feel there is.

[@darthhelmut4417]

We always hear how doctor's are cold & emotionless when they talk to patients. But we never see them after giving families news like this. This show shows what they are like

[@NH-tb2sm]

Dr. Charles is definitely the best character on the show. I wish there were real doctors like Dr. Charles.

[@amelonnamedkate1400]

This is so heartbreaking. They did a great job representing the emotion of this situation. It’s even worse because it’s a very real thing some families have to go through

[@yanzhenfeng1659]

Seeing a kid that is happy and playing, but knowing they’ll never be able to look happy again after a few years can be hard because you know that they don’t know that they’ll never be able to smile or laugh ever again soon, never able to move or run, neither be normal after a few years.

[@faith191901]

This made me tear up. 😢 nothing worst than hearing that you are on borrowed time from the one that is meant to fix you up. 😭😭

[@kdizzle901]

Oliver Platt has such range I can’t believe he’s the same guy that is in The Bear

[@472bdhrn]

Honestly love Dr Charles he’s such a kind and caring guy

[@DrakeAsleep]

Okay out of all the episodes of Chicago Med this one made me cry. Man he's so young hes too you young to comprehend something of that magnitude. It killed me when he said "A year?". He is so innocent. Man i wish there was cures for all deadly diseases hopefully one day.❤

[@dennyalfro9832]

This show is the reason I love my field of adolescent psychology. I am in love with the minds of kids and adolescents because they see the world with the best and purest curiosity of their world around them. Absolutely amazing!

[@nataliemaja2947]

Some kids are so resilient. What a nice thing to do for his brother🙏🏽

[@xXSakuraTearsXx]

Dr. Charles is an amazing & well written doctor. He knew exactly how to handle this situation & he knew exactly what to say to this kid. It makes me think of that old trick where you ask your parents for something big first, making your actual ask feel small by comparison. Except this is sad, precious, & wholesome. Manipulation made to help instead of harm; Psychology used for altruism & not selfishness. A great example of what a real Psychiatrist is capable of doing- you gotta love it!

[@thethundernado6670]

God that boy is so pure and innocent! This is so unfair

[@zerodragonsaiyen3268]

This kid is so innocent and sweet man omg 😭

[@honeybee2587]

Oh my Lord God above this is absolutely gut wrenching. Poor kid! Those poor parents! Doing everything right and then this happens. 😭 That poor doctor who delivered the news! 😭

[@heresheis2063]

I find it incredible how the child with the incurable disease is taking the news remarkably well to the point of being optimistic compared to the adults who are breaking down into tears. Children truly are stronger than what we give them credit for. At least some are

[@narniasheep]

Is no one talking about Dr Reese? I respect her character that shows the world of humans who work in medical...... i have more empathy and view from the writers reminding/humanizing people who has to do things such as breaking news and their perspective, hopefully it brings us humans closer and work together for the better, and seeing each other such as oneself.

[@Jasonslittlesister1]

Omg bawling my eyes out! So happy and grateful my boy is 12 now and, as far as I know healthy.

[@timgrove5757]

This was heartbreaking no kid deserves to go through anything like this

[@laurenorourke2442]

This episode made me bawl my eyes out. My heart broke for Parker

[@bigkid5226]

Omg God bless any doctor in this position 😢

[@goodvibesstation7835]

His joy at having 5 years 😢😢

[@aquatofana9257]

This hits. I have 2 adult children. It's amazing how strong you can be when you don't have a choice. I want to hug every parent who is dealing with something like this, or has dealt with it. I can't imagine.

[@charliemercer2593]

What a brave little man. This was very heartbreaking and was also so adorable when he made a video for his little brother to team him ❤

[@karyannfontaine8757]

Seth is an amazing young man. Many children are wonderful, brave, carring. His disease has no cure because it is rare and sadly not funded for study to find treatment. Very glad the wonderful doctor told Seth about his condition in words Seth could understand and accept. He did so much better than his parents. Wish the full episode was shown. This was interesting.

[@DreamBelief]

Of course he did better than the parents. He is a trained professional and expert. Parents are not. It's no different to how an oncologist would obviously be better at treating a child's cancer than the child's parents would be. On top of that, they are going through one of the worst days of their lives. Being in shock and under extreme emotional and mental stress significantly compromises your ability to think, communicate etc. The doctor can be more removed from that

[@junbh2]

That's Parker. Seth is the baby brother.

[@runsoncaffeine]

Seth was the little brother.

[@BuckyBarnesNC]

It’s a TV show, Seth isn’t some real patient.

[@paulamarentette695]

@@DreamBelief I think she meant that the child reacted to the news better than his parents did.

[@jamesbaggett7223]

Oliver Platt is incredibly underrated as an actor

[@whyanything3879]

Words have never been truer

[@thebyrd433]

Totally agree. I've seen him in multiple genres with multiple character types, and he nails it every time.

[@KarenLee-bs5ms]

How awful you get to sit there and watch your own child shrivel away.. children are supposed to bury their parents not the other way around.. as a mother myself this episode broke me in half

[@lethalprincess2087]

It’d be so hard for me not to cry in front of the dang kid

[@bettybye7636]

Brave little boy. It’s admirable that his parents attempted to tell him rather than keeping the truth from him

[@opstac]

Im crying right now because theres times when a kid has something wrong you just cant fix it no matter how hard you try and its awful but you should always take the time you have and make the most of it.

[@UZl--]

Absolutely heartbreaking man I cried at this episode.

[@craigsutherland4726]

My 4 year old niece started tripping up when there was nothing there. She eventually got MRI scans and found out she had a very rare disease called Leigh’s disease. My sister was told her daughter would probably only live 7-9 years maximum and they were going to put her in a hospice for kids. 2 days after saying this beautiful 4 year old kid would only live 7-9 she died. A couple days later. Absolutely heartbreaking. She never even made it out the sick kid’s hospital before her heart stopped a couple times. They managed to bring her back once but pretty much straight at the back of it her 4 year old heart stopped again 💙🙏

[@stringbeanii]

doctor charles is a *_legend_* !!!

[@eleenail99]

Sometimes, we aren't inherently brave. Sometimes we need other people to make us realise our bravery. I'm glad Parker had Dr. Charles for that, and I hope Dr. Charles has someone to make himself realise how brave he is, too. :)

[@chamberpethrese]

Wow my heart can't take it , hearing this as a parent

[@049_kavyasrivastava8]

His bravery made me cry

[@RTWLR]

This kid is taking the knowledge of the exact date and time of his death surprisingly well.

[@RyanFatovic]

That Kid Took It Like A Champ!

[@whywar1986]

Never seen this show but thats one heck of a way to deal with that sort of thing hats off to that kiddo.

[@agni2003]

I don’t know where this show casts the kids…they are some of the best child actors I’ve seen!

[@STackinDre]

This just broke my heart 😢 💔 I’m trying to remember it is a show . I couldn’t imagine knowing my child only has a few years . And the way he just gracefully took in the information 😢 ughh

[@SeanPynrose]

When I was younger, part of me wanted to go to school to become a pediatrician or cardiologist. Seeing scenes like this makes me in a way glad I didn't. I have such a soft heart that you can't win 100% of the time, and I couldn't handle this.

[@thijshagenbeek6554]

The difficulty with kids, is that you cant bring medical terms or overcomplicate things. Children require a very difficult level of tact because their world is so direct. A doctor thats able to bring this kind of news as gentle but still understanding to a child, is worth his weight in gold.

[@melaniemills4505]

What a precious, loving boy...him saying he was making a video for his brothers broke me! 💔

[@ayakotami3318]

I would have done the same as her. Went to the nearest restroom and cried my eyes out for a few minutes. Delivering news to a child is the worst. It's absolutely heartbreaking knowing that a child has a devastating disease. 😭

[@Salem-we1ey]

I can’t even imagine what a parent has to go through in real life situations like this. My heart breaks for those parents and my prayers go out to them.

[@WarGrowlmon18]

The kid took the news better than the parents

[@Shadythestar03]

cause the kid doesn't realize the danger of his diagnosis

[@junbh2]

I think getting old or even being an adult seem slightly unbelievable sometimes when you're a child. Maybe that helps.

[@junbh2]

@@Shadythestar03 He does know that his dog died and is gone forever. So he does understand the basic idea. Although when you're that young 5 years is super long.

[@DreamBelief]

Young children do not fully grasp the permanence of death. Also, one's initial response can be quite unemotional. It's a process, and the way our brains process such things and try to help us cope. There's nothing wrong with how the parents responded. They didn't respond worse or poorly. Experts recommend parents do show their grief and emotions when telling their child about a terminal diagnosis. When they weren't in front of the child it's also healthy to let yourself cry and express your thoughts

[@qveenora3]

@@junbh2yea when I was little I wasn’t scared but when I got older I start realizing

[@kivrinsagchannel791]

It's so hard to tell if they are acting they are that good

[@JaxonIrving]

i had a psychiatrist, and he was just like Dr. Charles, very patient, kind, calm, and mellow.

[@uri65]

doctor charles might be the love of my life

[@madcatter576]

Leaves me sobbing every time

[@prudencestone6018]

So heartbreaking 😢 seeing a child like that

[@naajiyaaliyar5672]

such a brave kid indeed

[@normab2897]

Sometimes when we think Doctors are heartless, it could be a way for them to cope with situations on hand ❤

[@wendyhardin5259]

I love Dr Charles and Dr Reese.

[@Steddy1434]

Sometimes the truth is the best. As sad as it is, everyone could live honestly despite the inevitable