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Home > About childhood cancer > For parents > Food > Eating problems >Your child might feel sick due to the cancer, their treatment, or the medication they are on. The following may help:
- Offer small amounts of food at a time.
- Cold food or food at room temperature may be more appealing as it usually smells less than cooked food. Try ice cream, tinned fruit or yoghurt.
- Avoid fatty or greasy food.
- Dry foods can sometimes help. Try crackers, toast, plain biscuits or ginger biscuits.
- Strong smells may make children feel worse, so try to keep your child away from the kitchen during food preparation.
- Cold juices sipped slowly can sometimes help to take the edge off nausea.
- Avoid giving your child their favourite foods as they may develop a permanent dislike to them.
- Offer liquids and foods separately. Let the food go down first before drinking.
If your child is actually being sick:
- Rinse their mouth – this will help to remove the taste.
- Avoid foods and fluids together until the vomiting has been controlled. Try to encourage frequent sips of clear fluids.
- Avoid giving them their favourite foods as they may develop a permanent dislike to them.
- Offer them dry foods which they may find easier to stomach.
Speak to your child’s doctor or nurse as there are lots of anti-emetic (anti-sickness) drugs available which can help.
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