Nutrition and Chemo patient speech?!

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Hello Hayley, Pediatric patients can sometimes maintain adequate nutrition while dealing with cancer and the myriad of treatments. However, at least half of these children have trouble maintaining their normal weight and level of activity and are more prone to frequent infections ("Nutrition in children", 2005). Children who suffer from cancer often have problems with nutritional deficits due to side effects of chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. These children often have difficulty maintaining an adequate diet because of cachexia, stomatitis, xerostoma, aphagia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some of the options for correcting nutritional imbalances include nutritional counseling, total parenteral nutrition, IV therapy, supplements, and pharmacological treatments.
Progressive deterioration in nutrition status is often termed cancer cachexia, a wasting syndrome characterized by weight loss, anorexia, early satiety, progressive debilitation, and malnutrition that
result in a greater risk of organ dysfunction and death (Esper, D., & Harb, W., 2005). Experts are unsure of the specific cause of cancer cachexia. Often, a multidisciplinary approach can help improve the outcome of the child's treatment. A multidisciplinary team consists of a dietician, nurse, physician, social worker, and occupational and physical therapists. Play therapy and music therapy are good, holistic approaches as well. Read the complete essay here:

http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Nutrition…

I would do the research on the websites, as suggested by other posters, because there is a lot of information there. Main points could be - How is nutrition affected by chemotherapy (and sometimes the cancer itself). Which chemo drugs are most likely to affect nutrition and in what way? What kind of diet - types of foods, eating small meals, etc. - is helpful during chemo? What drugs can be used to treat and prevent nausea? What role can tube or intravenous feedings play? How can adequate nutrition affect the patient's ability to tolerate treatment and feel better?

Another website that might be useful is www.after-cancer.com

This is written BY patients FOR patients - and gives an often different viewpoint to that on medical sites. Sometimes doctors forget that patients are people, and therefore lose themselves in lots of scientific speak - forgetting that what is important to them might be of no interest to patients!

Hope this helps.

Verite R

I am a cancer survivor

Here's a few sites with info.
Interesting subject!

http://www.chemocare.com/eatingwell/

http://www.oncologychannel.com/chemother…

http://www.oncologychannel.com/chemother…