IS MY CHILD’S DIET IMPORTANT DURING THERAPY? Yes, your child’s diet is important. Research has shown that well-nourished children tolerate treatment better and experience fewer treatment delays. Your child may have difficulty eating normal meals during treatment. Foods that are appealing to your child will be tolerated better. Offer foods that are high in calories, protein, and carbohydrates. Small frequent meals are often better tolerated than three larger meals. When possible, choose more nutri- tious foods. Your child’s nurse or dietitian can help you put together a list of possible food choices. If your child is on steroid medications, such as prednisone or dexamethasone
(Decadron®), are part of the treatment, your child’s appetite will likely be increased. These medicines may make your child feel constantly hungry and crave unusual foods. Your child may want one particular food constantly. Try to keep healthy snacks on hand. Steroids may cause your child to gain weight and develop a round face and puffy appearance, but these side effects are temporary. It is important to offer your child fluids to drink frequently throughout the day so that dehydration is avoided. Signs of dehydration include decreased urine output, dizziness, and a dry mouth. Multivitamins, herbs, and other supplements should be avoided unless approved by your child’s healthcare team because they can interact with your child’s treatment. Please ask your healthcare team if you are considering having your child take any of these types of supplements. A dietitian may be a member of your child’s healthcare team. Dietitians are trained in the calorie and nutritional needs of children. The dietitian can provide you with education regarding your child’s dietary needs and ideas about how to meet these needs during treatment. Your child’s healthcare team will monitor your child’s nutri - tional status, height, and weight during and after treatment to try to prevent problems. When a concern about nutrition arises, your child’s healthcare team will discuss with you the ways to manage and improve your child’s nutrition.
RESOURCES Foundation for Women & Girls with Blood Disorders’ ITP page fwgbd.org/resources/itpresources ITP Support Association (UK) www.itpsupport.org.uk National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute nhlbi.nih.gov/health/immune-thrombocytopenia Platelet Disorder Support Association pdsa.org
Platelets on the Web ITP page ouhsc.edu/platelets/itp.html
10
Powered by FlippingBook