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Blog Post | Jul 30, 2024

Helping Your Child Eat During Cancer Treatment

By Austin Hatcher Foundation
By The Austin Hatcher Foundation
Helping Your Child Eat During Cancer Treatment

Helping Your Child Eat During Treatment 

Cancer treatment can alter a child’s food preferences and appetite. A pediatric clinical dietitian nutritionist can help you plan your child’s diet. 

Side effects and symptoms of cancer treatment

  • Appetite loss
  • Sore mouth or throat
  • Taste changes
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Dental problems
  • Weight gain or loss

How to manage symptoms that affect eating during treatment

  1. Let your child eat whenever they’re hungry
  • Consider giving your child smaller, more frequent meals – maybe more than three a day.

  1. Limit the amount your child drinks at mealtimes
  • Avoid giving your child too many liquids during meals as they can make them feel too full for solid foods.

  1. Make mealtimes fun 
  • Experiment with mealtime changes. Consider altering when and where meals happen to find what works best

Things to avoid: Encourage your child to eat without resorting to force. Avoid using threats, nagging, or punishment if they cannot consume enough food.

Quick and easy snack ideas

  • Yogurt & fruit shakes
  • Plain/buttered popcorn
  • Fresh, washed vegetables with dips
  • Chicken/fish spreads on
  • crackers/breads.
  • Pretzels, chips, or crackers.
  • Fresh, canned, or dried fruit chunks
  • dipped in yogurt, nut butter, or
  • marshmallow fluff
  • Cheese cubes with crackers or fruit.

For more information email Info@hatcherfoundation.org

Reference: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/helping-your-child-eat-during-treatment