Children with Cancer

Childhood cancer is a rare disease. How cancer behaves, its appearance, its rate of growth and response to treatment is different with children than it is with adults. The complications of treatment can be more extensive in children due to the effects on growth and development. Although the treatment is often complex, there is a high cure rate and more effective and less toxic therapies are always in development.

Children with cancer face special physical and emotional needs. Professionals (see full Glossary) who specialize in this illness can provide the type of counseling and therapy that may better help address the needs of these children.

Resources include a Parent Handbook (see full Glossary) that makes it a bit easier for parents and families to understand the steps they need to follow in the treatment and intervention of this illness.

To learn about cancer in the middle childhood years, please visit the six to 12 part of this course.