When one hears the word “cancer”, thoughts about how their previous life is about to change cloud the mind, but when one hears the word cancer for their child, it is a whole different outlook; the affects of childhood cancer are not only taken on by the patients, but also by their families; the affects can range from emotionally to physically, socially to financially, and even educationally. “Childhood cancer is considered rare, especially compared with adults. Still it’s the leading cause of death in children pre-adolescent, school-aged children” (Report: Childhood Cancer Rates Continue to Rise, but Treatment Helps Drive Down Deaths). Around 12,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year and around one in five children that are diagnosed with cancer will die. How does one see the symptoms for childhood cancer? First one must know that there are many different types. There are forty different types of children’s cancer, including: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Sarcomas, cancers of the nervous system, liver cancers, kidney cancer, and more. Out of these cancers, the two most common childhood cancers are Leukemia, and brain tumors. What is leukemia? It is a cancer in which the bone marrow and other organs that produce blood produce and increased amount of immature or abnormal white blood cells. The symptoms of leukemia are paleness, excessive bruising, pain in the joints, and fatigue. Brain tumors are formed when a massive amount of cells are produced on the brain. The symptoms for this are frequent headaches, vomiting, seizures, decreased coordination, weakness, and problems concerning vision. Physical symptoms of cancer and the treatment can have serious social and emotional consequences for the diagnosed child.... ... middle of paper ... ... affects the diagnosed child, but it affects his or her parents, and siblings in many different ways. Different families go through it differently, but they are all affected emotionally, physically, socially, educationally, and financially. Works Cited "Children Diagnosed With Cancer: Returning to School." Children Diagnosed With Cancer: Returning to School. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. "Coping Interventions for Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed with Cancer: An Evidence Review with Implications for Clinical Practice and Future Research.(Report)." - Pediatric Nursing. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. "Financial Impact of Childhood Cancer." N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. "Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer (PDQ®)." The Canadian Press n.d.: n. pag. - National Cancer Institute. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. Mainieri, Donna. Telephone interview. 16 Mar. 2014.
After seeing his physician, he told him that he had some of the common symptoms of a brain tumor. Brain tumors have a variety of symptoms ranging from headache to stroke. Seizures may be the initial manifestation of a brain tumor, and eventually as many as 30% of patients with brain tumors will develop seizures. Gradual loss of movement or sensation in an arm or leg may occur. Unsteadiness or imbalance, and double vision may occur, especially if it is associated with headache.
Pediatric oncology has been so very rewarding in many ways, but also so very cruel in a few ways. The good days are great, but the sad days are heartbreaking. But beyond the death and the suffering, there is a whole other layer of
Callaghan, Erin. "Achieving Balance: A Case Study Examination of an Adolescent Coping With Life-Limiting Cancer." 24.6 (2007): 334-339. Print. .
Progress and innovation are key components to discover new possibilities to fight against childhood cancer. To begin with, my interest in healthcare sparked when I was diagnosed with childhood sarcoma cancer at the age of seven. As a cancer
ASD individuals may find it hard to communicate and socialize with others around them. However, because each child is unique, they have their own unique abilities and ways of responding to new experiences. Other issues children with ASD have include; anxiety, sleeping problems, and learning disabilities. Those who are diagnosed with ASD or any other disability are usually judged and bullied. In the documentary Violet’s mother says she is afraid of her child being labeled and underestimated because she is diagnosed with autism. A child’s disability can also affect their family members. Family members may have a difficult time understanding and getting to know the autistic child in order to provide for them. They struggle to find interventions such as treatment and therapy for them, the right medical care, and trying learn to cope with all this. At times parents and caregivers can also feel stressed or irritated knowing they have to fulfill all of the child’s needs. Siblings on the other hand, may find it unfair that the autistic child gets the most attention and
There are two main categories of brain tumors as to the seriousness; Malignant, and Benign. A Malignant tumor can grow and spread aggressively, and overpower other healthy cells by taking their space, blood, and nutrients. A Benign tumor is less serious than a Malignant, however, it can still cause many problems in the brain by pressing on nearby tissue. They are typically slow growing and rarely spread to other parts of the body. Benign brain tumors can be considered Malignant if they are located in areas of the brain that control vital functions like breathing. Unlike benign tumors, the cell structure of a malignant brain tumor is largely different than normal brain cells. Malignant tumors tend to grow faster and can be more invasive than benign tumors. They are also are life threatening. Tumors are classified as grades one through four. The more aggressive a brain tumor is, the higher the score. Another type of tumor is the pituitary tumor. A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in the pituitary gland. It’s about the size of a pea and it’s located at the center of the brain behind the nose and eyes. "Malignant and Benign Brain Tumors."
According to SEER Statistics, 23,380 people are estimated to get a brain or nervous system cancer diagnosis. Out of those people, 14,320 people are estimated to die from their brain or nervous system cancer diagnosis (National Cancer Institute). Cancer is a type of dangerous tumor, or a buildup of extra cells that form a mass of tissue, that can be life threatening (National Cancer Institute). The term for a tumor that is cancerous is a malignat tumor, whereas a benign tumor does not contain cancer cells (National Cancer Institute). According to the National Cancer Institute, the causes of brain cancer are unknown, but risk factors include family history and excessive radiaton exposure. Although they are not always due to a brain tumor, comon symptoms include headaches, nausea, speech, hearing, vision, and mood changes, problems with balance and mamories, seizures, and numbness in arms and legs (National Cancer Institute). MRI and CT scans as well as surgical biposies (or the removal of part of the tumor to be examined) are used to diagnose brain cancer (National Cancer Institute). Different types of treatment options include radiation therapy, surgery to remove the tumor, and chemotherapy. According to Charles Davis, MD, PhD and Nitin Tandon, MD of WebMD.com, chemotherapy is “ the use of powerful drugs to kill tumor cells”. There are a few different types of chemotherapy, but all of which bring out the same kinds of side effects. Although the physical side effects of chemotherapy are commonly known, few people know of the emotional toll chemotherapy can take on a patient and his or her family as they go though this process.
Pediatric Oncology is at the heart of many organizations. There are many financial and emotional burdens associated with a loved one having cancer, and thanks to these foundations parents and children can sleep a little bit better at night knowing that someone has their back. Some of the more prominent groups that have an impact here in our community are: Alliance for Childhood Cancer, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, CURE Childhood Cancer, and National Cancer Institute (Mccaul). These are organizations that make an impact in the lives of the children battling cancer and their families. Whether an organization has been started in memory of a loved one or to support a college or hospital, organizations like those listed above have
Even though colon cancer is very deadly, when colon cancer is found early there is a high chance that an individual will survive. The rate of surviving drops from 76% to 6% between Stage 1 and Stage 4, a person who has had to go through all these stages and if they survive would have overcome so much. I've learned that smoking, drinking, and being overweight isn't just bad for you, it may even increase the risks of getting cancer. Being adopted, I have no idea of my family history, so I don’t know if I am high cancer risk or not, though, I can never be too careful. I feel much more informed on a topic that was really a mystery to me and I can feel more confident that if my mom were to contract colon cancer, she would have a high chance of surviving, provided that she gets checked by a doctor, regularly.
Isn’t it overwhelming to consider the fact that approximately one in eight deaths in the world are due to cancer? To make this more comprehensible, the number of deaths caused by cancer is greater than caused by AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Along with the idea that this disease does not have a definite cure is a mind-staggering concept to grasp. If not caught in time, cancer means guaranteed death. These types of thoughts were floating around my head when my mother had told me that my father had mouth cancer.
Twice a day, an email full of support, encouragement, and information arrives in the inboxes of the 370 members of the Long-term Cancer Survivors mailing list. The topic of discussion is often the “late effects” of cancer treatment.
From the very time of birth, each one of us is made differently. We all have the same cells, body parts, and makeup but we all have a different face to present to the world. We all have different situations, beliefs and personalities. One thing everyone, both young and old have in common is the possibility for cancer to become an obstacle in his or her life. Cancer is a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells and has affected more than one million people each year just in the United States. As of now there is no cure to this disease, although there are many different forms of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and many different places to receive this. Chemotherapy is used to treat cancer cells with drugs that have a toxic effect to your body. Chemotherapy is a very harsh and difficult treatment to go through but the outcome may be well worth it. This treatment is not for everyone, though and is no guarantee that these treatments will cure you. It is only the patient’s decision to choose … is it worth living and fighting for, or is it time for me to go? Being diagnosed with cancer can drastically change someone’s life, along with the lives around him or her. This is why it is a hard decision to decide whether or not to receive treatment for this deadly disease. If the decision is made to refuse treatment for cancer, the decision must be respect. There are many reasons people refuse treatment. It’s hard to tell whether it’s more painful to the diagnosed patient or to the family and friends that are involved. People who refuse treatment for cancer have good reasons. Everyone’s diagnosis is different with respect to support, money, and general outlook on life. If they do not have much of these things they a...
...are of paediatric palliative child. Online resources would be beneficial for families who are in rural areas or who do not have access to many places because of the limitations on travel due to their child’s illness because everyone wants information about what is happening during this difficult time to ease some of the concerns. Inservices, IPPC, simulations, ACNs and communication are all needed in order for the health care providers to maintain and provide a therapeutic relationship with the patient and their families. With better education about paediatric palliative care, knowledge of the effects of caring for paediatric palliative care on the health care providers, communication between families, patients and health care providers about paediatric palliative care, can provide a therapeutic relationship with families and patients during a very difficult time.
Imagine having to wake up each day wondering if that day will be the last time you see or speak to your father. Individuals should really find a way to recognize that nothing in life is guaranteed and that they should live every day like it could be there last. This is the story of my father’s battle with cancer and the toll it took on himself and everyone close to him. My father was very young when he was first diagnosed with cancer. Lately, his current health situation is much different than what it was just a few months ago. Nobody was ready for what was about to happen to my dad, and I was not ready to take on so many new responsibilities at such an adolescent age. I quickly learned to look at life much differently than I had. Your roles change when you have a parent who is sick. You suddenly become the caregiver to them, not the other way around.
A child with leukemia will not have the same physical development as a healthy child. Around the ages from 6-8, children begin to slowly gain height and weight. The child with leukemia may grow slower and most likely lose weight, instead of gaining it. Another milestone children at that age go through is self-conscious emotions. The child may feel self-conscious because they look and live very differently from their peers. This may cause them to feel emotionally upset. Peers who are unaware of their diseases my tease and bully the child, which causes them emotional