Children with Cancer - General guidelines

This page of the website contains information about the stages of your child's illness.
It guides you on what to expect and prepares you and your family for different situations you may face during and after your child's treatment. You know your child better than anyone, your personality, how your child handles unknown situations and you know how to talk to your child and how to help your child relax. Try to remember that you are a fundamental part of the treatment.

While these guidelines may not answer everything about cancer in children, it is a start, and it points to other sources of information.

We will describe the following subjects:
• What is cancer and the different types of cancer
• About treatment and side effects
• About the most used medical procedures
• How to talk to your child about cancer
• How to deal with your and your child's feelings
• About common health problems
• What to expect in the future
• Where to get more information.

More children than ever are surviving childhood cancer.

Over the past 30 years, survival has increased from 30 percent to 80 percent. There are new and better drugs and methods to help your child cope with the side effects of treatment. However, despite all this good news, cancer is still a serious disease.

You are not the only one to face your fears, help is available. The treatment team - doctors, nurses, nutritionists, social workers, physiotherapists, among others - can help your child deal with the disease.