{"id":2622,"date":"2018-01-29T09:54:22","date_gmt":"2018-01-29T04:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/?p=2622"},"modified":"2023-10-12T17:39:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T12:09:33","slug":"coping-with-childhood-leukemia-and-lymphoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/coping-with-childhood-leukemia-and-lymphoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Coping with Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anyone can be diagnosed with cancer; it does not spare the old or the young. It is indeed very sad and painful to see a child\u00a0been diagnosed and treated for blood cancer. A child suffers a lot due to the symptoms of cancer<\/a> itself and all the more due\u00a0to the side effects of cancer treatment. It is not easy for a child to live with cancer, as the child will face a lot of pain, fear,\u00a0anxiety, emotional disturbances, discomfort, difficulties and hardships while they go through the treatment. A child is\u00a0totally dependent on others, so it is our responsibility as parents and caregivers to help the child cope and fight against\u00a0cancer and do all that we can, to help them live longer. We must do our best and the maximum we can to destroy the cancer\u00a0completely through treatment, save the life of a child, make their life better, and help them live a normal life to the fullest.\u00a0This section will guide you in helping the child to cope with the diagnosed blood cancer.<\/p>\n

\"childhood\"<\/p>\n

Nutrition for children<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Nutrition is important for the normal growth and\u00a0development of all children, but it is especially\u00a0important for children getting cancer treatment<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0Children undergoing cancer treatment need even
\nmore calories for tissue healing and energy. Eating\u00a0the right foods before, during, and after the treatment\u00a0can help a child feel better and stay stronger.<\/p>\n

Tips if eating is difficult<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If your child experiences changes in taste and smell, some of these tips below may help you:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Serve foods cold or at room temperature to decrease the foods’ tastes and smells.<\/li>\n
  • Reduce food smells by covering drinks and making your child drink through a straw.<\/li>\n
  • Don’t cook foods with strong odors when your child is around, and avoid eating in rooms that are stuffy or too warm.<\/li>\n
  • If your child has a metallic taste in the mouth, using plastic flatware, glass cups, and plates may help.<\/li>\n
  • Fresh fruits can be blended into shakes, smoothies, ice creams, or yogurt.<\/li>\n
  • Rinsing and brushing your child’s mouth regularly can help foods taste better.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    If your child’s appetite is affected, it may cause weight loss, weakness, and fatigue. Tips to increase your\u00a0child’s food intake are as follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Children can be a little fussy about the food and can have poor eating habits, so avoid scolding, nagging, or\u00a0punishing your child for not eating. Try to understand the phase through which they are going, and remember that\u00a0it is not easy for them. Also, try to distract them with their favorite toys, and involve them in activities during\u00a0meals, which can make your child have their meals.<\/li>\n
    • Make mealtimes fun by playing your child’s favorite music, watching television, having your child’s friends around,\u00a0and using pretty dishes to have food.<\/li>\n
    • You can engage your child in fun activities, such as reading, drawing, painting, doing crafts, and solving puzzles.<\/li>\n
    • Let your child help you in cooking food and preparing the food shopping lists.<\/li>\n
    • Let your child eat his\/her favorite foods at any time of the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      If your child has a sore throat, which possibly could be due to the cancer treatment, the following tips\u00a0could help in giving some comfort to the child while eating:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Try soothing things, such as soft, bland, and cool food.<\/li>\n
      • If your child can’t eat regular foods, try milk, ice cream, homemade shakes, or smoothies.<\/li>\n
      • Make soft, creamy foods, such as cream soups, mashed potatoes, yogurt, custards, puddings, and cooked cereals\u00a0for your child. Dry or solid food can be blended and moistened. You can puree foods in a blender to make them\u00a0easier to swallow.<\/li>\n
      • Try using a straw to bypass mouth sores.<\/li>\n
      • Avoid acidic, salty, rough, or hard food.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \"child<\/p>\n

        Tips to help the child cope up with the distress and discomfort of Blood Cancer<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
          \n
        • Inform the child about the illness and treatment.\u00a0This information will build their trust in you and the\u00a0treating team, make them comfortable to share\u00a0their fears and concerns, and also help your child to\u00a0cooperate and get through difficult situations.<\/li>\n
        • If the child expresses strong feelings, such as anger\u00a0or sadness about the diagnosis, then tell them that it\u00a0is fine to express their emotions.<\/li>\n
        • Respect and understand the child’s feelings of anger,\u00a0sadness, worry, or fear.<\/li>\n
        • Accept and praise the child when he\/she does things\u00a0that are hard or difficult.<\/li>\n
        • Allow the child to express his\/her feelings (eg, let\u00a0the child draw, make up stories, and keep a diary to\u00a0express his\/her feelings and fears).<\/li>\n
        • Tell the child that he\/she will never be alone and will\u00a0always be supported.<\/li>\n
        • Help the child to understand that the doctors and\u00a0nurses are trying their best to help him\/her get well,\u00a0even though the things done by the medical team\u00a0may cause discomfort for a while.
          \nMake phone calls to the child’s loved ones, show\u00a0photos of his\/her interests, or arrange visits from\u00a0friends when the child wishes to do so.<\/li>\n
        • If possible, request the child’s favorite teacher to\u00a0make a personal phone call, send a note, or visit the\u00a0child, so that the child feels good.<\/li>\n
        • Give the child a chance to make choices (eg, let the\u00a0child decide which pill to take first, what food he\/she\u00a0would like to eat, or movies or books he\/she would\u00a0like to watch or read).<\/li>\n
        • Children usually fear medications, chemotherapy,\u00a0and needle pokes. Try to keep the child busy and\u00a0distract him\/her with enjoyable activities to\u00a0reduce his\/her fears and nervousness related to the\u00a0treatment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n