“What are the side effects of chemotherapy?”
My friend's 7-year-old daughter needs to have chemotherapy treatment for stage II leukemia. Do kids experience any other side effects for chemotherapy?
1 Answer
Hello. Your friend’s daughter is in the pediatric age group. My suggestion would be to refer to the website sponsored by the children’s hospital of Los Angeles (choc.org). They have a breakdown of the various types of leukemia that are treated in the pediatric age grouping.
Basically the side effects of chemotherapy are generalizable. Depending on the regimen most chemotherapeutic regimens cause temporary hair loss which recovers when chemotherapy is completed. Chemotherapy also causes temporary decreases in white cells which fight infections and platelets which help with blood clotting. These counts recover after chemotherapy is completed. Nausea and vomiting are common and medicines need to be prescribed to decrease these side effects. Other systemic effects such as mouth soreness or numbness and tingling are less common.
Children usually tolerate chemotherapy well. It would be good to ask this question of the pediatric hematologist who is prescribing the medications.
Basically the side effects of chemotherapy are generalizable. Depending on the regimen most chemotherapeutic regimens cause temporary hair loss which recovers when chemotherapy is completed. Chemotherapy also causes temporary decreases in white cells which fight infections and platelets which help with blood clotting. These counts recover after chemotherapy is completed. Nausea and vomiting are common and medicines need to be prescribed to decrease these side effects. Other systemic effects such as mouth soreness or numbness and tingling are less common.
Children usually tolerate chemotherapy well. It would be good to ask this question of the pediatric hematologist who is prescribing the medications.
