When a child is diagnosed with cancer: Part II

Treating a child with cancer does not start and stop with the medical interventions.

There must also be careful consideration & management regarding the emotional and psychological health of the child, the parents, other siblings (if applicable), and the family in general. It is important to maintain as normal a routine as possible for the child, including schooling, time with friends, and enjoyment of other activities. While this may be disrupted if inpatient treatment is necessary & during recovery from treatment, the more the usual routine can be followed, the better for the overall health & wellbeing of the child and family. Of course, if modification is necessary for comfort, that is completely understandable. You have to do what works best for you and your family, and sometimes that means being flexible and adapting as needed.

What are some ways to create stability in routine?

1. Reading familiar books, maintaining a similar bedtime rouotine

2. Eating a family meal together

3. Doing something creative or something that brings you joy, particularly an activity that requires minimal effort

4. Prioritizing rest when needed

5. Working on school activities together (if applicable)

6. Finding ways to remain social, even if it can only be virtual (based on current needs & recommendations from healthcare team)

7. Scheduling virtual calls with school friends

Involvement of child life specialists can be very beneficial in this regard. This service is frequently available through pediatric specialty centers. Child life specialists work with children & families to help them cope with some of the stressors they may experience while being treated for cancer. They help families by providing different coping strategies while undergoing different medical procedures, preparing mentally for various tests / diagnostic procedures, providing parent education and ways to be supportive & educated on such procedures, developing coping tools for sibling support, etc.

There are many resources that can assist families, particularly during the treatment phase of childhood cancers. Connecting with other families with children with similar cancer types and treatments is critical to increase support for the family. Obtaining financial resources regarding travel and accommodations, if needed, is also available through many organizations and should be explored. It is also important to obtain reputable information from such sites as ‘cancer.net’, ‘cancercare.org’, ‘childrenscancer.org’, as well as sites dedicated to the specific type of cancer. If you follow me on Instagram, I recently covered this topic and offered some resources specifically for childhood cancer support here:

1. Comfort items for hospital stays

2. Parental Health & Childhood Cancer

3. “My child just received a cancer diagnosis, what is my first step?”

4. How to support a family whose child was diagnosed with cancer

5. National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

In anticipation of upcoming appointments, it can be helpful for parents to put together a list of questions to ask the treating providers. These 6 questions can include (and are not limited to) the following:

1. Is the diagnosis correct and how do we know? This question is not intended to offend the treating provider- the intention is to provide more insight on clinical findings, diagnostic results, pathology findings, etc. The more informed we can be as parents, the more we can understand the details of the child’s care plan, collaborative next steps, and how to best navigate it.

2. Can we have a second opinion? Again- this question is not intended to offend the treating provider. Having a second opinion can also help the family to feel more confident and empowered in the care that they are receiving and to further confirm the stage of the disease & diagnosis. Also, some centers may offer more advanced treatment options.

3. What are the treatment options and the associated advantages & disadvantages? The discussion of quality of life is a major consideration here. Being informed on the possible advantages & disadvantages of certain treatments allows you to feel more empowered while making such personal family decisions. It is important to consider and discuss the goals of treatment, which includes not only treating the cancer itself but maintaining comfort, symptom control, and quality of life.

4. Is the treating provider a pediatric specialist or is a referral to a pediatric specialist necessary?

5. What resources and services are available to help with support for the family and finances? Here is a list of resources for additional financial support: financial assistance for teens & children

6. How do we maintain as normal a routine as possible during treatment?

By considering the factors discussed above, the unimaginable difficulty of treating childhood cancer can be made somewhat more manageable for the child and family. For more information on this topic, please visit @ParentSuitcase on Instagram.

#childhoodcancer #cancercaresupport #childhoodcancerawareness #parentsupport #parentingresources

Disclaimer: The information on this platform is not intended or implied to be a substitute for personal professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All platform content including text, graphics, images, and information is for general information purposes only & does not replace clinical consultation with your own doctor/mental health professional.