Osteosarcoma: How to Care for Your Child

Your child is ready to leave the hospital after getting treatment for osteosarcoma. This type of cancer starts in a bone and can spread to other parts of the body. Your child will keep getting chemotherapy and will have surgery to remove the cancer. Here's what to do and watch for as you look after your child at home.

• If the oncology team prescribed medicines, follow the directions on how and when to give them.

• Let your child rest as much as needed.

• The care team may have told your child to stop doing some activities. Help your child find other things to enjoy in the meantime.

Your child:

• Has pain that doesn't get better after taking medicine.

• Has a fever.

• Doesn't have much energy.

• Looks pale.

• Gets bruising on the skin or bleeding from the nose.

• Seems dehydrated. Signs include dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with few or no tears, or peeing less often.

• Has nausea or vomiting that doesn't get better with medicine.

• Gets short of breath.

Your child:

• Struggles to breathe.

• Gets numbness or tingling, or has jerking movements of the arms or legs.

• Seems confused, is very sleepy, or is hard to wake up.

How do doctors treat osteosarcoma? Oncologists (cancer doctors) treat osteosarcoma with chemotherapy and surgery. The care team usually gives kids chemotherapy for about 10 weeks before doing surgery. To cure osteosarcoma, oncologists need to remove all of the cancer.

Are there things children can't do after coming home from the hospital? It's best to keep life as normal as possible after a diagnosis of osteosarcoma. Kids can still go to school or childcare, play with friends, and go to family events.

Cancer treatment can temporarily weaken the immune system. That means kids are more likely to get colds, the flu, or other bugs. Don't let your child be around people who are sick or have a fever. Take your child to public places like movie theaters or the mall at times when they aren't crowded.

What if I have questions or concerns at home? Parents are key partners in a child's care. If you're not sure about something, call your oncology team. There can be a lot to remember when a child has cancer, so care teams are used to answering questions or going over information again.