Return to normal life
Pediatric patients and their families usually cannot wait to return to normal life from the first day in our workplace. However, after treatment, the patient's involvement in routine activities is gradual. The following lines will help you understand what a return to normal life entails and why it is not desirable to rush it.
What are we happy about?
After the end of treatment, a return to normal life brings a number of joyful facts:
- No more vomiting and anorexia
- Fewer tablets or none
- Return to kindergarten, school and hobby groups
- Hair regrowth
- More time with my family and friends
- Catheter exclusion
- Less time spent in the hospital
Why do we have mixed feelings after stopping treatment?
For most patients and their families, ending cancer treatment is associated not only with joy but also with fear - what happens when we stop taking medication? Does it matter that we are not under the constant supervision of doctors? What if the disease returns? Concerns are a completely normal and understandable part of returning to normal life.
How often do we go to the hospital?
Regular dispensary check-ups are part of comprehensive oncological care and long-term follow-up of the patient after treatment is very important. Checks at our outpatient clinic will become a regular part of your life - during the school year, the child will need to apologize from school or take time off. Your child's catheter will be removed within weeks to months of treatment. Until then, regular flushes at our clinic or place of residence are necessary.
What about vaccination?
At a distance of several months after treatment, the patient will be examined at the Motol University Hospital Vaccination Center and re-vaccinated. Immunity may be weakened during cancer treatment and some vaccinations may need to be repeated. Young children were not vaccinated during the treatment according to the mandatory vaccination schedule, therefore vaccination must be provided as part of dispensary care. Mandatory vaccination is usually a condition for admission to collective facilities.
When will the child return to school?
Returning to school is usually gradual, as participation in full school can be exhausting for children shortly after completing treatment. Therefore, we continue to recommend an individual study plan in the first half of the treatment. Compulsory school children usually go to class for a few hours a week and gradually get involved in full attendance.
Can my child play sports?
Until the catheter is removed, we recommend limiting physical education and especially ball games at school.
What if my child has a new health problem?
You will solve any health problems with your child's practical pediatrician, with whom we will remain in long-term contact. Common childhood infections or injuries are the care of doctors at your place of residence. You will consult with our workplace about any other deviation from the state of health. As part of dispensary care, we will see your child several times a year after treatment and we will solve any health problems with you. Monitoring in our outpatient clinic after the end of oncological treatment is important not only to assess the proper growth and well-being of the patient, but also to detect any recurrences of cancer.
When will everything be the same?
Many of our patients and their families find out after life that life is different than before. Experience with cancer will bring families new knowledge that parents of a healthy child cannot imagine. However, sooner or later the patient will return to the normal daily routine, start going to school and hobby groups, return to his hobbies and his life will be "normal" and full-fledged.