Childhood Brain & Spinal Cord Tumors

A Guide for Families, Friends & Caregivers

By Tania Shiminski-Maher, Maria Sansalone, Patsy Cullen
November 2001
Pages: 568
ISBN 10: 0-596-50009-2 | ISBN 13: 9780596500092

Description

Offers a wealth of resources for parents of children with brain or spinal cord tumors, as well as many stories of "veteran" parents. Parents who read this book will encounter medical facts simply explained, practical advice to ease their daily life, and tools to be a strong advocate for their child. Includes a pull-out medical record-keeper.
Full Description

Childhood Brain & Spinal Cord Tumors, the most complete parent guide available, includes detailed and precise medical information about both benign and malignant brain and spinal cord tumors that strike children and adolescents. In addition, it offers day-to-day practical advice on how to cope with procedures, hospitalization, family and friends, school, social and financial issues, communication, feelings, and, if therapy is not successful, the difficult issues of death and bereavement. Woven among the medical details and the practical advice are the voices of parents and children who have lived with cancer and its treatments. As many parents have already found, advice from "veteran" parents can be a lifeline. Obtaining a basic understanding of topics such as medical terminology, how drugs work, common side effects of chemotherapy, and how to work more effectively with medical personnel can only improve the quality of life for the whole family suffering along with their child. Having parents describe their own emotional ups and downs, how they coped, and how they molded their family life around hospitalizations can be a tremendous comfort. Just knowing that there are other kids on chemotherapy who refuse to eat anything but tacos or who have frequent rages can make one feel less alone. Parents who read this book will encounter medical facts simply explained, advice to ease their daily life, and tools to be a strong advocate for their child. Includes extensive resources and a pull-out medical record-keeper.

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Media reviews "For parents, there are few childhood diagnoses more frightening than a brain tumor. This is exactly the book to have in that situation. The latest entry in the excellent "Patient-Centered Guides" series, it maintains a nice balance between providing solid clinical information and sharing stories of emotional support. Highly recommended for all public and health-related libraries."
--Library Journal starred review.
Named in May 2002 as one of the
"best consumer health books of the year"

"This book fills an extraordinary void for families in whom a child has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Written in comprehensive and straightforward prose, a family will learn virtually everything needed to deal with this most frightening diagnosis. Although reading this book will not, of course, ensure successful outcome for their child, it will provide a framework for them to understand all of the issues they are dealing with on the path from diagnosis and treatment, to either a successful outcome or the loss of their child.

This book is a gifted and welcome edition to the field of pediatric neuro-oncology. It will help countless families and health care providers alike learn all the ramifications of diagnosing a brain tumor in a child and the incredible turmoil that is subsequently produced in a family. This book should be on the shelf of every health care professional that deals with children with brain tumors and should be made available to every family in whom a brain tumor is diagnosed."
--Henry S. Friedman, MD and James B. Powell, Jr.
Professor of Neuro-Oncology The Brain Tumor Center at Duke Durham, North Carolina

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