Childhood Cancer
Dietitian/nutritionist
It can be very helpful to consult with the hospital nutritionist to get more information and ideas about how to add more protein, calories, and vitamins/minerals to your child’s diet. You can also consult with a private registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who has experience helping children with cancer. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (www.eatright.org) is the country’s largest group representing registered nutrition professionals; on its website, you can search for an RDN in your area.
I had two quite different experiences with hospital nutritionists. At the children’s hospital, I couldn’t get the doctors concerned about my daughter’s dramatic weight loss. She was so weak she couldn’t stand, and her muscles seemed to be wasting away. I finally asked them to please send in a nutritionist. A very young woman came in and talked to me about the major food groups. I felt my cheeks begin to flush, and my eyes glistened as I said, “I know what she is supposed to eat; I need to know how I can make her want to eat.” I must have sounded a bit crazy, because she just handed me a booklet and backed out the door.
The next week when my daughter began her radiation, the radiation nurse took one look at her and called the nutritionist right down. This nutritionist was very warm and caring. She helped me understand that I needed to think fat, protein, and calories, and she gave me lots of practical suggestions on how to boost calories. I think that she probably saved my daughter from tube feedings.
Table of Contents
All Guides- Introduction
- 1. Diagnosis
- 2. Bone Sarcomas
- 3. Liver Cancers
- 4. Neuroblastoma
- 5. Retinoblastoma
- 6. Soft Tissue Sarcomas
- 7. Kidney Tumors
- 8. Telling Your Child and Others
- 9. Choosing a Treatment
- 10. Coping with Procedures
- 11. Forming a Partnership with the Medical Team
- 12. Hospitalization
- 13. Venous Catheters
- 14. Surgery
- 15. Chemotherapy
- 16. Common Side Effects of Treatment
- 17. Radiation Therapy
- 18. Stem Cell Transplantation
- 19. Siblings
- 20. Family and Friends
- 21. Communication and Behavior
- 22. School
- 23. Sources of Support
- 24. Nutrition
- 25. Medical and Financial Record-keeping
- 26. End of Treatment and Beyond
- 27. Recurrence
- 28. Death and Bereavement
- Appendix A. Blood Tests and What They Mean
- Appendix B. Resource Organizations
- Appendix C. Books, Websites, and Support Groups