Pediatric Nursing Demystified

• Address potential for disturbed body image related to hair loss due to
  radiation treatment by helping family plan in advance for hair coverings.


• Provide initial and continued assessment:
  Analyze child’s height and weight and note weight loss or growth
  delays.
  Refer child with major joint swelling or pain for further orthopedic
  evaluation.

Family and Child Support

Support the child and parents from the time of diagnosis through

chemotherapy and other procedures such as surgery or radiation therapy.

Explain treatment protocol to parents and include the child with cancer

in planning care, as age permits.

Promote the growth and development of the child and family coping.

Prepare child and family for tests and knowledge of chemotherapy treat-

ment side effects and complications to monitor for; involve child in deci-

sion making as much as possible.

Nursing alertParents should be cautioned to maintain regular health mainte-

nance regimen during cancer therapy but notto continue immunizations that

involve live-virus exposure due to child’s compromised immune status.

Explain measures parents need to take to make their child more comfort-

able during therapy (i.e., not forcing food if the child is nauseated, play-

ing games or reading stories while treatment is administered).

When planning with parents and child, take into account their current

stage of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Consider the family’s financial capabilities, and help them make any

necessary financial arrangements for care.

Encourage family and child to keep all follow-up examinations, despite

fear of reports of cancer return; early detection leads to more effective

treatment.

Refer family for counseling and provide referral to community agencies to

address resource needs for information or emotional or financial problems.

• American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)


• National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)


• Children’s Oncology Group (www.childrensoncologygroup.org)


• Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation (www.candlelighters.org)


• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (www.leukemia-lymphoma.org)

Symptom Alleviation

Evaluate for signs of infection and report for early treatment and

eradication.

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CHAPTER 8/ Oncology Conditions^153