Information about children's cancer including what kinds of cancer affect children.

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells. Your child may have one drug or several, depending on their protocol (treatment plan). Click the link to learn more about how chemotherapy is given, treatment cycles and what side effects you can expect for your child.

Your child may need surgery for various reasons. Click the link to learn what they are, what you need to look out for before the procedure, where the procedure may take place, and helpful tips to remember after your child's surgery.

Your child may have a number of scans during their treatment, such as CT scans and MRI scans. Scans can take from a few minutes to over an hour. Learn about the types of scans your child with cancer may need by clicking the link.

Children's cancer tests can diagnose cancer or give more information about your child's cancer and their health.

Targeted therapies are drugs that target specific parts of cancer cells, making them distinct from other cells. In other words, they exploit the differences between normal cells and cancer cells. Click the link to learn more about the various types of therapies for children.

It may help to find out more about your child’s illness, treatment and possible side-effects. Your doctors and nurses are the best people to talk to, but you can also get information from booklets, leaflets and online. Click here to read more.

Information on possible side-effects from children's cancer treatment.

We have listed organisations and groups that can help you if you’re caring for a child with cancer.

Cancer treatment can have a huge impact on your child and your family. It can help to know what to expect and how to get support.

A stem cell transplant replaces diseased or damaged blood cells with healthy, cancer-free stem cells. Click the link to learn about why your child may need this cancer treatment, how it is done, side effects and more.

Radiotherapy is a painless treatment using high-energy X-rays that go deep inside the body to kill cancer cells. Click the link to learn more.

Anaemia is when the number of red blood cells is lower than it should be. Anaemia can happen if the bone marrow, which makes red blood cells, is affected by cancer or cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Click the link to learn more about the signs, symptoms and treatment of anaemia in children.

A biopsy is a small sample of tissue removed from the child's body. The sample is examined under a microscope by a doctor called a pathologist to see if it contains cancer cells. Click the link to learn more.

Fatigue is a severe tiredness that is common among cancer patients. It can take several months before the tiredness completely goes away. Click the link to learn about the causes, symptoms and tips to help.

A clinical trial is a study of a treatment. Cancer clinical trials are done to find new and better treatments for cancer. Click the link to learn about what you can expect if your child is invited to join a cancer trial in Ireland.

Palliative care is an approach that prioritises your child’s comfort and dignity during the phase where a cure is no longer possible. Click the link to learn more about what you can expect, including helpful supports such as Night Nursing, and more.

Some cancer treatments and some types of cancer can leave children more at risk of infection. Even minor infections, such as a cold or sore throat, could make them ill. Click the link to learn more.

A PET scan uses an injection of a mildly radioactive substance, which can show up the cancer on a scan picture. It is normally done in children who have Hodgkin lymphoma. Click the link to learn more.

Your child may lose their hair or their hair may become thinner with chemotherapy and some other cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy to the brain. Click the link to learn more.

Some chemotherapy medicines can make your child feel sick (nausea) or vomit. It depends on the type and amount of treatment your child has. Learn more.

Bone scans can check for signs that cancer has spread to the bones. Bone scans are very sensitive and can sometimes be used to find cancer cells before they show up on X-ray. Click the link to learn more.

During cancer treatment, chemotherapy, intravenous medication, fluids and blood products can be given directly into a vein using various devices. Click the link to learn more about them and find helpful tips.

A lumbar puncture is used to diagnose, prevent or treat disease. Sometimes a lumbar puncture is used to inject anaesthetic medications or chemotherapy drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid. Click the link to learn more.

A CT scan takes X-rays from different angles to build a detailed, 3D picture of the location and size of any tumours. The picture is created by a computer linked to an X‐ray machine. Click the link to learn more.

Constipation occurs when your child has difficulty passing a bowel movement (poo). This can be uncomfortable or even painful. Click the link to learn about the causes, symptoms and tips to help your child.

An MRI scan uses magnetic energy to build a picture of the tissues inside the body. An injection of dye may be administered before the scan to show certain body parts. You can stay with your child during the scan. Click the link to learn more about this procedure.

Platelets help to make your blood clot and stop bleeding when you hurt yourself. If your child’s platelet count is low (thrombocytopenia), they will be more likely to bruise and bleed. Click the link to learn about the signs and symptoms, as well as tips to help.

Your child’s mouth or gums may get sore due to their treatment. They may also develop small ulcers on their tongue, gums, and inside their cheeks (mucositis), which can make eating difficult. Click the link to learn the symptoms and some valuable tips to help.

If you or someone in your family has an altered BRCA gene, you may not know how to approach your children or what to say to them. Click the link for some helpful tips.

Tests that examine children's cells and genes are specialised tests that can diagnose the type of cancer and provide additional information about it. Click the link to learn more.

Many things can affect your child’s appetite when they have cancer. For example, feeling sick (nausea), food tasting different, pain, constipation or having a sore mouth. Learn more.

Some cancers can affect the bone marrow, so it needs to be checked at diagnosis and during treatment, which is done by taking a sample of bone marrow or bone using a needle. Click the link to learn more.

When you’re coping with your child’s cancer diagnosis, it may be hard to think about how their treatment might affect their ability to have children in the future (their fertility).

If your child has been diagnosed with cancer, it can help to know what will happen next and where to get support.

It’s important to understand your child’s cancer, treatment and side effects and to get help with any problems you’re having. Don’t be left with unanswered questions or worries - our tips can help you. Click the link to learn more.

Your hospital team will organise some of the things you will need at home and let you know about your local Shared Care hospital and other supports and services in your area. Click the link to learn more.

We're here for you family if you are facing a childhood cancer diagnosis. We have a range of services tailored for children and young people up to 24 years of age. Click the link to learn more.

If you are planning to start a family or have more children, decisions about managing your cancer risk can become more complicated. Click the link to explore your options.

Young carers are children, teenagers and young adults aged under 25 who help to support a family member or friend with cancer. Click here to find helpful advice and resources if you're a young carer of someone with cancer in your family, such as Family Carers Ireland.

If you're new to cancer and what it means, it can be challenging to figure out how to familiarise yourself with the terminology. We collected the most common cancer terms to help you make sense of it all. Click the link to learn more.