Going Home From Hospital After Your Child's Cancer Treatment

Key points about going home from hospital after your child's treatment

• going home for the first time after diagnosis can be an especially stressful time
• help is available from support groups and the nursing and medical staff at Starship or CHOC and your local hospital

Where is help available after going home from hospital after my child's treatment?

When your child is getting ready to go home from hospital, feelings of excitement can be mixed with feelings of anxiety for everyone in the whānau. Going home for the first time after diagnosis can be an especially stressful time because the situation is new.

After your child goes home, help is available from support groups like the Child Cancer Foundation and the nursing and medical staff at Starship or CHOC and your local hospital.

Check out the links for more information and support

Where will my child with cancer receive continuing care after leaving hospital?

If your family lives in Christchurch or Auckland, the healthcare team where your child was a patient will continue providing your child's continuing care.

If your family does not live in Christchurch or Auckland, the local hospital staff and the Starship or CHOC team will share your child's continuing care.

What happens before my child with cancer leaves hospital?

'Discharge meeting'

Write down any questions from anyone in the whānau. Ask for a 'discharge meeting', especially if you are going home for the first time. Take your questions to the meeting and ask the healthcare team to discuss them. Consider having more than one whānau member go to this meeting.

Go through the pre-discharge checklist with your child's nurse. Make sure to talk to the nurse or your child's doctor if there is anything you need more information about.

Go through this checklist before leaving hospital to make sure you've covered everything.

Keep a record of important contacts

Check the page on important contacts for your child with cancer. You might want to print it and then fill it out with the names and phone numbers you need.

Find out about how to safely handle cytotoxic medicines

If your child is to be taking chemotherapy medicine at home, or has had chemotherapy within the 48 hours before leaving hospital, see the advice about how to safely handle cytotoxic medicines and the related wastes.

Find out what your child can do

Speak to your child's doctor about the physical activities your child should avoid and the activities that are safe.

Find out about childhood cancer and education

What advice can I get after my child with cancer has left hospital?

After leaving hospital, you can get advice and reassurance by phoning your healthcare team whenever there is any worry or concern.

Phone the healthcare team for advice if your child is receiving chemotherapy and has any of the things listed in the section below.

When should I seek medical advice for my child with cancer?

You always need medical advice and your child may need medical attention if your child is having chemotherapy and any of these things happen:

• your child has a temperature over 38 degrees Celsius
• there is bleeding from the nose, gums or mouth or unexplained bruising or blood in your child's poo, wee or vomit
• there has been close contact with a person who has chickenpox, shingles or measles
• your child has difficulty eating or drinking
• your child has difficulty doing wee or has not had a wee for 6 hours
• your child has been unable to poo for 3 days
• your child has had vomiting or diarrhoea for more than 6 hours
• your child has a skin rash

What safety measures do I need to take with chemotherapy medicine at home?

Chemotherapy by mouth

Some tamariki (children) will continue taking chemotherapy medicine by mouth (either tablets or liquid) when they are at home.

Chemotherapy into a vein

Some tamariki, when they are at home, will go to the hospital day stay area or outpatient clinic to have chemotherapy into a vein (intravenous). Then they return home straight after.

Protecting yourselves when handling chemotherapy medicine

Because chemotherapy medicines are toxic, when you are home you need to protect yourself and others when you are handling or exposed to them.

Chemotherapy medicines pass out of the body in:

• wee
• vomit
• poo
• blood

Anyone who could be exposed to these body substances also needs protection from possible contamination. This applies during treatment and for up to 48 hours after finishing treatment.

You will receive advice from your treatment centre about safely handling chemotherapy medicines and related waste at home.

What are some helpful tips for giving medicine to my child with cancer?

You could use rewards such as star charts and bravery beads to encourage your child to take medicine if it is unpleasant.

Try using an oral syringe to make it easier to measure the medicine.

If your child vomits within 30 minutes of taking a medicine, phone the healthcare team for advice about repeating the dose.

Look for tips for giving specific medicines on your medicine information sheets. Phone the healthcare team to discuss any problems.

Read more about going home from hospital

Read more about childhood cancer