Skip to: site menu | section menu | main content
Questions Children Ask ...
Children are naturally curious about their disease and have many questions about cancer and cancer treatment. Your child will expect you to have answers to most questions.
Children may begin to ask questions right after diagnosis or may wait until
later. Here are some common questions and some ideas to help you answer them.
Why Me?
A child, like an adult, wonders "Why did I get cancer?" A child
may feel that it is his or her fault, that somehow he or she caused the illness.
Make it clear that not even the doctors know exactly what caused the cancer.
Neither you, your child, nor his or her brothers or sisters did, said, or
thought anything that caused the cancer. Stress also that cancer is not contagious,
and your child did not "catch" it from someone else.
Can I still hug and kiss my Mom and Dad?
Yes! You can't give your cancer to your Mom or Dad, and a big hung will help
you feel better.
Will I Get Well?
Children often know about family members or friends who died of cancer. As
a result, many children are afraid to ask if they will get well because they
fear that the answer will be "no." Thus, you might tell your child
that cancer is a serious disease, but that treatment - such as medicine,
radiation, or an operation - has helped get rid of cancer in other children,
and the doctors and nurses are trying their best to cure your child's cancer,
too. Knowing that caring people - such as family, doctors, nurses, counselors,
and others - surround your child and your family may also help him or her
feel more secure.
What Will Happen to Me?
When your child is first diagnosed with cancer, many new and scary things
will happen. While at the doctor's office, hospital, or clinic, your child
may see or play with other children with cancer who may not be feeling well,
have lost their hair, or have had limbs removed because of cancer. Your child
may wonder, "Will these things happen to me?" Yet, your child may
be too afraid to ask questions. It is important to try to get your child
to talk about these concerns. Explain ahead of time about the cancer, treatment,
and possible side effects. Discuss what the doctor will do to help if side
effects occur. You can also explain that there are many different types of
cancer and that even when two children have the same cancer, what happens
to one child will not always happen to the other.
Children should be told about any changes in their treatment schedule or
in the type of treatment they receive. This information helps them prepare
for visits to the doctor or hospital. You may want to help your child keep
a calendar that shows the days for doctor visits, treatments, or tests. Do
not tell younger children about upcoming treatments far ahead of time if
it makes them nervous.
Will my hair fall out or will I loose my hair?
Sometimes chemotherapy, which is a medicine you will probably be given, will
cause your hair to fall our. But, when your treatment is over your hair will
grow back.
What is chemotherapy?
That's a big question but the simple answer is chemotherapy is the use of
different medicines to treat your cancer.
Why Do I Have to Take Medicine When I Feel Okay?
With cancer, your child may feel fine much of the time but need to take medicine
often. Children do not understand why they have to take medicine when they
feel well. You may want to remind your child of the reason for taking the
medicine in the first place. For example, a child could be told: "Although
you are feeling well, the bad cells are hiding. You must take the medicine
for a while longer to find the bad cells and stop them from coming back."
See Also Questions Adults Ask
Edited by: Kevin Hart MA
CHILDHOOD-LEUKEMIA.COM OFFERS YOU A FREE REPORT FROM Dr Laurence Magne on ‘A Shocking Expose of the 10 Ways To Fight Cancer The Medical Industry Doesn't Want You To Know. ' click here for more information'
PLUS receive a special free report, from Dr. Magne, valued at $29.00, on "The 10 Ways To Fight Cancer". Visit her webiste here
NOTE: This web site is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider