Meeting energy needs during treatment is important and can also be difficult. Side effects from treatment may make it hard to tolerate certain foods.
Children with cancer often have poor appetites due to:
- The hospital environment
- Treatment side effects
- Nausea and vomiting
- Taste changes making food taste differently and less appealing
- Feeling full quickly
- Diarrhea
- Depression
If eating is very difficult, your child’s care team and registered dietitian will help you. The dietitian will talk with you about ways to help your child get the nutrition they need. Your child may need special feeding support, such as high calorie drinks and food, feeding tubes or IV nutrition.