Things you need to know about pedriatic cancer

Due to the many lives it has affected and claimed, people have more awareness on the general types of cancer out there. There are those specific to gender, lifestyle and those that are passed down as a result of family history of cancer.

When it comes to childhood cancer, or paediatric cancer in other terms, there still needs to be more discussions on the topic. People still know very little on the types, treatments as well as the effects that these cancers have on kids. At the same time, there still needs to be more awareness on the myths and facts surrounding paediatric cancers so that there is more understanding when a child in the family is diagnosed.

Below are some of the things that you should probably know about paediatric cancer to be more aware.

The cancers that affect children slightly differ from the common cancers that are found in adult men and women. These types include, brain cancers, thyroid cancer, bone cancers, spinal cord cancers, leukaemia, joint related cancers among others. The most common one among these is leukaemia, which affects the white blood cells in the body. When the white blood cells mutate, they are unable to fight off infections so a child’s immunity is low most of the time.

Paediatric cancer is one of the leading causes of death in children, especially in developing countries. It’s not rare for it to occur and for this reason, several cases are reported throughout the year. In poorer countries, the healthcare systems don’t function well so survival rate is lower than in developed countries. Also, the causes of paediatric cancer are hard to determine. Some mutations occur spontaneously for different reasons including family history of cancer.

In normal cases of cancer in adults, the effects of cancer are generally known. The illness can cause fatigue and the treatments can cause tremendous stress and pressure. If a parent who is the main breadwinner of the family gets diagnosed, the family’s finances can be strained because most of the money goes towards the treatments.

The same effects reflect on a child who has been diagnosed, but only in a different way. Time at school becomes limited especially because they are unable to concentrate properly. This can often bring the need for extra tutoring so that the child is able to catch up as the treatments progress.

On the emotional side of things, children also go through stress, shock, depression and anxiety. Once the illness is fully explained, they also have the same questions of whether they’ll be able to survive, running through their minds.

In many cases, the treatments can often be strenuous and painful. The numerous injections and side effects of drugs and therapies can leave both children and adults feeling stressed.

Long term effects of cancer and the cancer therapies on children are generally likely. They can develop reproductive problems, disabilities and other chronic health issues. Unfortunately, recurrence is also a possibility in many children.

There are many myths about childhood cancers that are being debunked every other day. Most of the time, children suffering from cancer are subjected to ridicule and stigma from peers and other members of society. In the African society for example, some people still believe that cancer is caused by a curse of some sort of omen when in reality, it’s a genetic problem. Others believe that children who have suffered from cancer at some point cannot have fulfilling lives or even have children; when this is not the case for many survivors.

Many sick children are made fun of at school and isolated for having cancer. Kids might mistakenly believe that it’s contagious due to lack of awareness. These are some of the challenges that children living with cancer face and need to be addressed.