Tips for Discussing Five Feet Apart with Children who have Cystic Fibrosis
Published on in CHOP News
Published on in CHOP News
If approached thoughtfully, the new movie Five Feet Apart may provide an opportunity for constructive conversations about living with cystic fibrosis, and help raise awareness around the disease.
This March, there is a movie being released titled Five Feet Apart. The plot of this movie involves two adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) who become involved in a romantic relationship. The couple considers disregarding infection control guidelines and risking cross-infection of cepacia.
This movie has the potential to raise awareness about cystic fibrosis and the challenges that people with CF encounter. It also has the potential to trigger strong emotional reactions. For members of the general public who never knew much about cystic fibrosis, the movie might raise a lot of questions, which they may direct towards individuals living with CF and their families.
If approached thoughtfully, the Cystic Fibrosis Center team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia believes the movie may provide an opportunity for constructive conversations about these issues, and help raise awareness around the disease.
Here are a few suggestions for how to have developmentally appropriate conversations with your child about the movie:
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has created several resources to support conversations with your child:
Please feel free to reach out directly to CHOP’s Cystic Fibrosis Center team with any additional questions or concerns you may have.