If your child is sick
If your child is sick |
| If your child is sick you may need to go to your local doctor or to the Emergency Department at your child's hospital. You might worry that your child may catch an infection in the Emergency Department. In fact, most infections in children with low blood counts occur from germs within the patient's own body and are not caught from others. For more information regarding what to do if your child is sick, please refer to The Information Book Edition 2.1, Section 3:5. |
Infection |
| Sometimes your child is well enough to go home but the white cell count may be low. This means your child has a greater chance of getting an infection. Care should be taken in crowded public places- pools and spas should be avoided at all times. Remember, most infections in children with low blood counts occur from germs within the patient’s own body and are not caught from others. If you aren’t sure what to do, speak with your medical team. |
Chickenpox, measles & mumps |
| These are common childhood diseases that your child can catch again because chemotherapy drugs reduce your child’s immunity and ability to fight off infection, and will do so for at least six months after the completion of chemotherapy. Previous vaccination or having had these diseases won’t protect your child. The best protection is not being exposed to these diseases. This means asking the parents of children who play with your child to tell you if their child has chickenpox or measles. This includes friends at school and kindergarten. |