Child & Youth Cancer: Ways to Support your Young Loved Ones

While childhood cancer is rare, it does affect the lives of over 1000 children and adolescents who are diagnosed with it each year in Australia. Childhood cancer is also more complicated than adult cancer, for numerous physical and emotional reasons – the illness itself acts and grows differently to adult cancer, and about two-thirds of people who survive childhood cancer will experience ongoing medical issues well into adulthood due to treatment. Psychologically, childhood cancer impacts families in a huge way, as it can be so difficult to come to terms with and rationalise a childhood cancer diagnosis, as there is often no specific cause or reason for its presence. It is also often difficult to speak with children and young siblings about their cancer in a way that is informative, supportive and kind, given their age. Homage has compiled some general information about cancer in childhood, as well as techniques for supporting and communicating with young people and families about their illness during this unfairly difficult time.

Common Childhood Cancers

The most common childhood cancers include leukaemia (a cancer of the blood), sarcoma (of the bone), brain cancer, and lymphoma (of the lymphatic system). In Australia, the survival rate for childhood cancer is about 80%.

Diagnosing Childhood Cancers

Often, early symptoms of childhood cancers can be easily attributed to other minor illnesses. Some common early symptoms include easy bruising and swelling, persisting fatigue or disinterest in things, an unrelenting fever, nausea and vomiting, or pain in a persistent area of the body. These kinds of symptoms are common in many minor childhood illnesses or viruses, and so often don’t raise the cause for alarm. 

If these kinds of symptoms are persisting, a GP can do further investigating and if necessary, referrals to specialists for more specialist diagnoses will occur. This may be a paediatric oncologist, paediatric haematologist, or paediatric surgeon. Depending on the symptoms and suspected cancer, a range of tests and diagnostic imagery may be used, including blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, lumbar punctures, and bone scans.

The diagnosing and testing phase can be extremely distressing for children and parents alike. The Royal Childrens’ Hospital in Melbourne have compiled a helpful article for ways to assist children and families with undergoing worrisome or traumatic testing.

Discussing Cancer with Children and Loved Ones

Talking to Children About Cancer

When you’re talking with a young loved one about cancer, whether it is their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of someone they know or are related to, it is important to be honest, upfront and transparent. You must use language that is age appropriate and understandable, and not does induce unnecessary fear in the young person, but try to avoid sugarcoating the truth or dancing around the language of cancer. Young people are often more resilient than you give them credit for – and evidence shows that using honesty and transparency in difficult healthcare journeys with children or young people improves their ability to cope healthily with the news.

School and Children with Cancer

It is important for a child with cancer to maintain the semblance of a routine when they are well enough to do so and treatment scheduling allows, and this includes maintaining education. Your child’s school can be an invaluable asset in supporting your child if communication between the school and the family is done well. You can ask the school for a single specific liaison point, to avoid having to repeat information to multiple points of contact at the school. You can work together to come up with plans around supplementing your child’s education or managing expectations around their performance during this difficult time.

Reactions from Family about Children’s Cancer

First and foremost, it is important to understand how the child themselves may react to a cancer diagnosis. The Cancer Council has a thorough explanation of each stage of development and common associated reactions. Throughout any developmental stage, though, the child’s behaviour may drastically change, they may regress in age behaviours, and they may experience low mood, outbursts, and intense emotional reactions. Teenagers may attempt to reject care or help from their loved ones, as their formative years of identity-building have been broken up with this diagnosis.

Siblings may react in numerous different ways. Some siblings may react strongly and start acting out as a way to regain some of the attention they have lost since their sibling became sick. Some may feel the responsibility to keep the happiness and morale of the family afloat during the difficult time, and so push away their own feelings for the sake of their family’s. Some may begin to resent their sibling or family for the upheaval the diagnosis has brought. It is important to pay attention to the sibling’s feelings and behaviours and make sure their school and supports are aware of any changes in the sibling’s behaviour that may be attributed to distress related to the diagnosis.

As parents of primary caregivers of the young person who has received the diagnosis, it is important to maintain your own awareness of your strong reactions and plan to maintain your own wellness. There can’t be many things more difficult in life than the diagnosis of a child with cancer – reach out for, and accept, the help of family and friends around you for tasks that you will have far less time to complete. It can be useful to delegate a trusted family member to solely update on your child’s medical status and have them pass on the information to a wider family circle, so you are not constantly liaising with innumerable friends and family. Maintaining contact with a GP or psychologist during this time is important to maintain your own mental wellbeing, too.

Types of Treatment for Children’s Cancers

Location of Treatment

The two primary centres for treating children’s cancer in Melbourne are the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Monash Children’s at Monash Health. This can put extra strain on families who live far from these centres, or have financial difficulties to access the location. However, families from rural or regional areas can be offered outreach services if the diagnosis and treatment permits.

The treatment depends on the stage of the cancer (how far it has spread) and the type. Children may have more than one treatment at one time.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a therapy that targets and kills cancer cells, but also kills healthy cells in the process, leading to side effects like nausea, vomiting, hair loss, lethargy and weight loss.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy uses high energy X-rays to target the area of the body that is cancerous and to kill off the cancer cells and stop them from multiplying. Each treatment only takes a few minutes, but like chemotherapy, can affect healthy cells in the same area.

Surgery

Surgery is indicated depending on the type of cancer. Sometimes it is useful for removing the cancer totally before completing a type of therapy as lifted above.

Stem Cell Transplant

A stem cell transplant is indicated when the cancer is in the bone marrow, or when doses of chemotherapy are affecting the bone marrow. This means the child’s stem cells have to be replaced manually. 

During and After Treatment

The symptoms of cancer and the side effects of treatment can be very unpleasant for the young person experiencing them. Some treatments also have long-term side effects for the child as they transition into adulthood. Understanding the potential side effects is important to planning for their growth, and for maintaining openness and transparency with your child to help them best cope with diagnosis and treatment.

Their appetite may be greatly diminished due to symptoms or treatment. They may experience weight loss and nausea. A dietician from the treating team can be utilised to work with your child if they are struggling in these areas.

They may be experiencing extreme fatigue and disinterest in what they used to enjoy. Take care not to overload your young person with expectations, visitors, or activities. Let them go at their own pace and allow lots of time to rest during and after treatment. Some goal posts of what you may expect to be normal achievements during your child’s development will need to be shifted to allow them to recover without pressure.

They may be experiencing a shift in their identity and self-image, especially if they are experiencing a diagnosis and treatment as an adolescence. They may grieve the milestones, events, and friendships they are missing out on due to treatment and recovery. Consistently checking in with your child and taking note of their behaviour during this tough time is important. Be consistent in your approach and validate their emotions. They may wish to access counselling through their school or hospital to deal with these feelings. Their body image may change drastically if they experience things like weight loss and hair loss, too. The Cancer Council provides free wigs and bandanas to those experiencing these things – ask your child if they would be interested in these kinds of services.

How Homage Can Help?

Homage has a dedicated team of health professionals, including Registered Nurses and support workers, to help you with innumerable steps during your treatment of cancer. These team members can help you with transport to medical appointments, medication management at home, post-surgical care or wound care, or simply accompaniment and companionship at home during the difficult recovery time. Book Cancer Care Services in Australia.