REDUCING ANXIETY IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING

CHEMOTHERAPY

By: Cindy Andrade

ANXIETY Anxiety is a general term for having

feelings such as nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying.

It can be reduced by looking for ways to help the child understand what they are about to face in their treatment and life.

CHEMOTHERAPY Chemotherapy is one of

the most common treatments for cancer.

It kills numerous cancer cells by preventing the cells from multiplying further throughout the body.

Ways to Administer Chemotherapy

Intravenously Oral chemotherapy- Pills

and liquid medication. Injections to the

muscle(intramuscular) or under the skin (subcutaneous).

Side Effects of Chemotherapy Every patient has different symptoms. Most common symptoms are

Fatigue Pain Hair loss or hair thinning VomitingConstant nauseaLoss of appetiteRashes and easy bruising.

CHANGES As a consequence of all these side

effects, children experience anxiety when they realize what this treatment involves.

The children are affected both physically and mentally.

SOCIAL ANXIETY An anxiety disorder in

which a person has an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations.

Self-consciousness arises from a fear of being closely watched, judged, and criticized by others.

SOCIAL ANXIETY Children’s new physical

appearance such as hair loss, weight changes, skin rashes, or puffiness provokes feelings of self consciousness and they may start to think that society might not accept them anymore.

SEPARATION ANXIETY When an individual experiences

excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment

For example, when it is time for the child to return to school or go to a place that they are not used to, they develop a sense of anxiety from being apart from the person that protects them.

ANXIETY The uneasy feeling that

children get when they see the tools, such as needles that are going to be inserted in their arm, makes their next visit to the hospital difficult because they know that the outcome for them is going to be painful.

THERAPIES AND TECHNIQUES

There are different therapies to help children reduce their anxiety.Yoga is being used for pediatric patients.Breathing techniques are beneficial because

the child can breathe calmly relieving the tension while painful procedures are occurring.

OTHER TECHNIQUES Virtual reality Child life specialist Cooking activities Video game consoles such as Wii and

Xbox’s are also part of the process of distraction.

Camps are offered to the children. Music therapy

FUNTOPIA For my project I designed an activity book for

the children undergoing chemo treatment. The main purpose of this book is to distract

the children's mind and keep them entertain with activities that any age group can enjoy.

Work Cited Ahmadi, Michael. "Virtual Reality May Help children Undergoing

Chemotherapy." JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 93.9 (2001): 675-676. Web. 8 Mar 2012

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/anxiety/ Aschenbrenner, Martha. E-mail Interview. 11 Feb 2012. Hart, J. "Music Therapy For Children And Adults With Cancer."

Alternative & Complementary Therapies 15.5 (2009): 221-225. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 8 Mar. 2012.

http://www.voiceofrevival.com/wp-content/themes/elegant-grunge/kids-cancer-4811.jpg

http://mentalhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/separation.jpg

http://hstrial-kerryradleyyogac.homestead.com/studio.html http://comfortinstylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/

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ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?