Weight Gain
Children being treated for cancer commonly experience weight gain due to the use of steroids such as prednisone or decadron. Steroids can increase both appetite and fluid retention (buildup). The child will be hungry, and will need to eat often. Promote healthy snacks, and limit foods that are salty. Salt has sodium, which increases fluid retention. The most common areas where a child may gain weight while taking steroids are the face and abdomen. After stopping the steroids, children will generally lose the weight that has been gained.
Weight Loss
Many children lose weight during chemotherapy or radiation treatments. The child's health team will monitor his or her weight closely. If the child cannot eat enough food to stay healthy and grow, the doctor may discuss giving nutrition through a tube or IV.
Special formula can be given by a nasogastric (NG) tube which passes through the nose into the stomach. If the child is experiencing a lot of vomiting and cannot take food into the stomach, a special formula can be given through an IV. This is called TPN (total parenteral nutrition). It is important to share any concerns you may have about the child’s nutrition.
Listed below are ways to help a child maintain or gain weight:
- Give small snacks or meals every 2 hours during the day.
- Try to add food that is high in calories, like adding ice cream to a milk shake or spreading peanut butter on toast.
- Try not to offer a lot of fluids during meals, as this will make the child feel full.
- Try to cook food with appealing flavors that can stimulate the appetite.
- Involve the child in the cooking process
- Activity before meals can increase appetite.
- Take advantage of the times that the child wants to eat. Always have food that is easily accessible.