• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Chemotherapy for Children

December 10, 2010 by ds_15457 Leave a Comment

No parent wants to watch her child go through chemotherapy, but if your child does need this type of treatment, learning about it can help you prepare. Chemotherapy is used to treat many types of childhood cancer. While it can be effective in treating cancer, as the parent of a chemotherapy patient, you need to consider the many potential side effects.

Basics

Chemotherapy uses drugs to target cancerous cells. Because the cancerous cells reproduce nonstop, the chemotherapy drugs are able to target and kill those cells. The treatment kills the rapidly dividing cancerous cells throughout the body rather than just in the tumor or other specific area. The chemotherapy treatment plan is created especially for each child depending on various factors such as age and type of cancer.

Administration

Doctors have the option of administering the chemotherapy drugs in different ways. IV administration is a common option. The drugs travel through the bloodstream to find the cancerous cells in the body. A more permanent IV is placed in some children so that they don’t have to repeatedly get IVs placed in their arms. This type of IV allows doctors to easily and quickly administer chemotherapy and other drugs the child might need while also collecting blood samples. Other forms of chemotherapy include pills, liquids, injections into muscle or injections into the spinal fluid. Children often receive two or three drugs rather than just one during chemotherapy to reduce the risk of drug resistance.

Location & Timing

Chemotherapy is administered at different locations depending on the type of chemotherapy and the specific child. The treatment is often an outpatient procedure with the child going to a clinic, hospital or cancer treatment center to receive it. Chemo is sometimes given at home. The time between chemotherapy doses depends on the child’s treatment plan. It could be daily, weekly or monthly.

Side Effects

Every child responds differently to chemotherapy, so the side effects will vary. The side effects occur when normal cells are damaged by the chemotherapy drugs. Comfort measures, such as other medications and therapy, can help lessen the chemo side effects. Fatigue, pain, skin sensitivity or irritation, losing hair, nausea, vomiting, appetite changes, constipation, diarrhea and sores on the mouth, gums and throat are possible side effects. More serious complications could include anemia, blood clotting problems, growth and cognitive delays. A child receiving chemo is also at a greater risk of infections because of the immune system’s reduced ability to fight off illnesses.

Care

Parents are in the position to be an advocate for children going through chemotherapy. A child going through chemo needs support from family to face the scary and sometimes painful situation. Take advantage of support groups and services offered by the hospital to help your child through the treatment. The parents also have the responsibility of taking the child to follow-up appointments after the chemo is complete.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Living Healthy

About ds_15457

Shelley Frost has been a freelance writer since 2007, specializing in parenting and education. Her work can be found on websites such as ModernMom.com and PreschoolRock.com. Frost holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a minor in reading from the University of Northern Iowa.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

10 Things Nobody Will Tell You About Having A Baby

After reading "20 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids," I … [Read More...] about 10 Things Nobody Will Tell You About Having A Baby

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

pregnancy & tooth pain

Pregnancy & Tooth Pain

Symptoms of Pregnancy If HCG Injection Is Taken

Can Self Rising Flour Substitute for Baking Soda?

Natural Remedies to Increase Sperm Count

Natural Remedies to Increase Sperm Count

Can You Get Pregnant Without Menstruating?

Causes of Lethargy in Toddlers

When to Take a Toddler to the Emergency Room With a Fever

When to Take a Toddler to the Emergency Room With a Fever

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.