Treatment & Prevention

Articles In This Section

• Finding Respite Care for Your Child With Special Needs

  Finding that perfect person to care for your child can be a challenge. These resources can help.

• Teaching Your Child How to Swallow Pills

  Swallowing a pill is something that many of us take for granted. But just like any skill, learning to swallow a pill takes practice.

• Relaxation Techniques for Children With Serious Illness

  Help ease your child's pain and anxiety with these exercises, complete with step-by-step instructions.

• Palliative Care

  The goal of palliative medical care is to prevent and relieve pain and suffering while also easing stress, anxiety, and the fear associated with serious illness.

• Life After Hospitalization: Helping Kids With Cancer Adjust

  Learn how to help kids get back into the swing of being at home and going to school.

• Late Effects of Cancer and Cancer Treatment

  Long-term side effects, or late effects, happen to many cancer survivors. With early diagnosis and proper follow-up care, most late effects can be treated or cured.

• Immunotherapy

  This promising new type of cancer treatment stimulates a person's immune system so it is better able to fight disease.

• Taking Care of You: Support for Caregivers

  It's common to put your own needs last when caring for a child you love. But to be the best you can be, you need to take care of yourself, too. Here are some tips to help you recharge.

• Nutritional Needs for Kids With Cancer

  The best way for kids undergoing cancer treatment to keep up their strength and deal with side effects is by staying hydrated, taking only doctor-recommended supplements, and eating as well as possible.

• Keeping Your Child Healthy During Cancer Remission

  Many families with a child in remission feel empowered to make lifestyle changes that could benefit their child's health in the future. Here are some tips.

• Coping With Cosmetic Effects of Cancer Treatment

  It's normal for kids to have hair loss, skin changes, or weight gain during treatment. This article offers tips for helping kids feel better about their appearance.

• Central Venous Catheters

  These surgically placed tubes allow kids with cancer to get blood drawn and receive intravenous (IV) medications and fluids without repeated needle sticks.

• Is a Clinical Trial Right for Your Child?

  Deciding to enroll your child in a clinical study will depend on its potential benefits and risks, as well as your child's particular illness. Learn more.

• Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation

  Side effects of cancer treatment can include fatigue or flu-like symptoms, hair loss, and blood clotting problems. After treatment ends, most side effects gradually go away.

• Stem Cell Transplants

  Stem cells help rebuild a weakened immune system. Stem cell transplants are effective treatments for a wide range of diseases, including cancer.

• What Is Informed Consent?

  Find out what the experts have to say.

• What Is “Minimally Invasive” Surgery?

  Find out what the experts have to say.

• Steroids for Treating Cancer

  Unlike the steroids that body builders use, steroids used in cancer treatment are safe and help kids feel better.

• Effects of Cancer Treatment on Fertility

  While some cancer treatments have little to no effect on reproductive health, others are more likely cause temporary or permanent infertility.

• Balancing Academics and Serious Illness

  When your child has a serious or chronic illness, it's hard to think beyond the next treatment. But with planning and communication, you can help your child balance treatment and academics.

• Giving Teens a Voice in Health Care Decisions

  Involving teens in their health care can help prepare them for managing it on their own as adults.

• Who’s Who in the Hospital

  Parents are likely to be stressed when a child is hospitalized, and questions about the people providing medical care and what roles they play can add to the confusion. Our guide can help.

• Finding Your Way in the Health Care System

  It can be stressful when your child needs medical attention, and more so when you're worried about where to get that care and how much it will cost. Here are some basics on managing the health care system.

• Preparing Your Child for Anesthesia

  If your child needs to have an operation, you probably have plenty of questions, many of them about anesthesia.

• Anesthesia Basics

  Knowing the basics of anesthesia may help answer your questions and ease some concerns — both yours and your child's.

• Types of Anesthesia

  Here's a basic look at what each kind of anesthesia does.

• Anesthesia – What to Expect

  Here's a quick look at what may happen before, during, and after on the day of your child's operation or procedure.

• First Aid: Sunburn

  Mild sunburn that causes redness or irritation can be treated at home, but severe sunburn requires medical attention.

• Chemotherapy

  Chemotherapy medications are used to treat cancer throughout the body by killing actively dividing cells. Learn more about chemo.

• Radiation Therapy

  Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, irradiation, or X-ray therapy, is one of the most common forms of cancer treatment.

• Cord-Blood Banking

  Should you bank your newborn's cord blood? This article can help you decide.

• What’s a Nurse Practitioner?

  Every parent wants the best medical care available. What are nurse practitioners, and how do they compare to medical doctors?

• Gene Therapy and Children

  Gene therapy carries the promise of cures for many diseases and for types of medical treatment most of us would not have thought possible.

• Preparing Your Child for Visits to the Doctor

  When kids know they're "going to the doctor," many become worried about the visit. Here's how to help them.

• Caring for a Seriously Ill Child

  Taking care of a chronically ill child is one of the most draining and difficult tasks a parent can face. But support groups, social workers, and family friends often can help.

• Preparing Your Child for Surgery

  Good preparation can help your child feel less anxious about getting surgery. Kids of all ages cope much better if they have an idea of what's going to happen and why.

• Talking to the Pharmacist

  If your child is sick, you'll probably have many questions to ask your doctor. But have you made a list of questions and concerns to share with your pharmacist?

• Financial Management During Crisis

  Although the emotional price of raising a seriously ill child can be devastating, it's only part of the picture. Even during this difficult time, you have to consider the financial implications.

• Managing Home Health Care

  When kids need intensive health care after they're discharged from the hospital, it's important that family and caregivers learn about the devices, equipment, and support they'll need.

• Kids and Smoking

  The health risks of tobacco are well known, yet every year many young people take up smoking. Here's how to help your kids avoid tobacco use - or quit, if they've already started.

• Sun Safety

  By teaching kids how to enjoy fun in the sun safely, parents can reduce their risk for developing skin cancer.

• Talking to Your Child’s Doctor

  Building a relationship with your child's doctor requires communication and reasonable expectations.

• Medications: Using Them Safely

  Giving kids medicine safely can be a complicated task. With a little knowledge and a lot of double-checking, you can help treat your child's illness while you prevent dangerous reactions.