If you have children or teenagers coming to UW Medical Center for radiation therapy, this section will give you, and your child, an idea of what to expect as a patient here. We recommend that children read this information with an adult.
There are different ways that children receive radiation treatment. Ask your doctor which of these sections you should read to learn a little about what your time at UW Medical Center will be like.
For parents: Most kids handle new procedures much better with some preparation beforehand so they know what to expect. Reading through this information with your child or teen will give her or him a better understanding of what the experience will be like.
People need radiation to help kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy stops cancer cells so that healthy cells can get stronger and make your body feel better.
Most children come to UW Medical Center for:
- a consult visit with a doctor
- a simulation, and
- radiation treatments.
Once you start radiation, you will come to UW Medical Center every day during the week, but you'll have weekends off—kind of like school! For most kids, radiation treatment lasts for 10 days to six weeks, depending on your diagnosis.
During your first visit to the hospital, you will probably meet the doctors and nurse for a "talking" appointment. (Sometimes, the CT Simulation is the same day as the consult visit. Please see the section about “Simulation and CT Scan” for more information.)
You and your parent(s) will find out all there is to know about your radiation treatment. The doctor and nurse will probably ask some questions about your treatment at Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center, too. This is a great time for you to ask any questions you may have. It's a good idea to write them down and bring them with you to your appointment so you won't forget what you wanted to ask.
After your consult visit, you will be scheduled to come back for a “simulation” or a “TBI treatment.” See below for more information about these different radiation treatments.
Before you start radiation treatment, you will probably need to have a CT scan. CT scans use computers and X-ray machines to take pictures of the inside of your body. This is the first step that helps the doctors figure out the exact spot you need your radiation therapy.
You will need to stay very still during your CT scan. For ideas from other kids about staying still, please refer to the “Tips and Tricks’’ section.
CT Scans do not hurt and the CT machine does not touch you. You just need to stay very still. Your mom or dad can walk you into the room to make sure you are comfortable, and then they will wait in the waiting room until you are done. There are windows in the room so that the dosemitrists (the people who will help with your simulation) can see and hear you, so you won’t be all by yourself.
CT Scans take pictures of the inside of your body. The doctors need to look at these pictures to figure out where the radiation needs to go. Some kids might need to get an IV start, (or if they have a port, their port might need to be accessed) before their CT Scan. Ask your referring doctor or nurse practitioner when your simulation will be and if you’ll need an IV. If you do, ask for numbing cream to help with the poke! They will be putting what is called “contrast” in your IV to help the doctors see better when they are looking at the pictures. The contrast will feel warm as it goes in through the IV and some kids say they can taste it a little bit.
Along with your CT Scan, you’ll be having a simulation. “Simulation” is a big word for “getting ready for radiation treatments.” During your simulation, they take measurements and have your mask or cradle made. They might also need to make tiny marks called “tattoos.” All of these things help them to know exactly where the radiation needs to go.
Your radiation treatments will be shorter than your simulation day. It will take about an hour to get your simulation done, and only about 15 to 20 minutes to get your radiation treatment each day. You will need to stay very still for the simulation, but you can have breaks if you need them to get your wiggles out.
The dosemitrist might ask you to change into a hospital gown, depending on where they need to take the measurements. You will lay down on a firm bed with your head on a plastic pillow. Sometimes they will have you hold onto a cloth with knots on it (sometimes this is called a “dog bone”) to help you hold still. They may also use tape to help you hold your feet very still.
First, the dosemitrists need to take X-rays (pictures of the inside of your body) and careful measurements using this machine. Your most important job is to stay very, very still so that they can get the exact measurements that they need.
Remember, your mom and dad will need to wait outside while you get your simulation done. But the dosemitrists and doctors can see you and hear you so you won’t be alone!
Some kids need to have a mask made when they have simulation. Masks are made because they help you stay very still so the radiation goes to just the right place. The dosemitrist needs to make sure that your head is in the exact same position each day you come for your radiation treatment. The mask is what helps them and you to know that you are in the right position each and every day.
The mask is made out of a soft, warm piece of plastic that has little holes in it so you can breathe through it. Lots of kids practice putting a warm washcloth on their face before their simulation, so they know what making the mask will feel like. To make the mask, you will lay very still as the dosemitrist places a piece of soft warm plastic on your face and smoothes it out. It feels like a warm washcloth!
The mask is marked where your eyes and mouth are, so after they take the mask off they can cut holes out for you to see through when you wear it. Each time you come in for radiation, they will put your mask on and attach it to the table. This helps you hold perfectly still. One of the cool things about your mask is that once you are done with radiation, you can take it home and decorate it with stickers, feathers, or whatever you want.
To help hold still, some kids need to make a cradle for their simulation, but these aren’t like the cradles that babies use. These are made to fit your body so you will be in the same position each time for radiation treatment. The cradle is made out of a big garbage bag filled with a warm, soft clay-like substance. These are soft and very warm when you lie down on them, but they cool quickly and become hard. If you have a cradle made, you will use this every time you come in for radiation.
Tattoos
After the measurements are taken and the mask is made, a dosemitrist will make a tiny mark on your body where the radiation treatment needs to go. They do this to make sure they will get the radiation rays to the exact spot every time you come in for radiation treatment.
These marks may be made with a marker, by drawing an “X” and covering with Tegaderm. These marks will wash off but not until you are done with all your radiation treatment. Then, the dosemitrist will make a tiny mark called a “tattoo” in the middle of the X. It’s not like tattoos that adults get that make pictures. This tattoo is a little dot that looks like a tiny freckle. They need to give you a few of these tiny marks so that they will know the exact spot for your radiation. You might feel a little pinch when you get your tattoo.
The radiation treatment rooms have big machines called “radiation machines.” Just like simulation, nothing on the machine will touch your body. You will lie down on a firm bed and wear your mask or cradle each time you are here for radiation treatments. Remember, your most important job is to stay very, very still during your radiation treatment.
Radiation aims a type of X-ray at the cancer cells hiding in your body.
- Radiation DOES NOT HURT!
- Radiation is INVISIBLE!
- You might hear a humming sound during your radiation. Have you had an X-ray before? If so, this sounds kind of like that.
This machine delivers invisible rays to the cancer cells. The machine never touches you! The “radiation technicians” (the people who help with your radiation) will help you get into position on the bed. This is when they will put your mask and/or cradle on to help you hold still.
It is very important to stay very still during your radiation treatment. You can breathe normally but other than that, you need to stay as still as a statue! You can practice being a statue at home before you come, to help you during radiation. Radiation treatment will only take about 15 to 20 minutes.
Some of the radiation rooms have cool things to look at on the ceiling. Some of the ceiling tiles make it seem like you’re outside lying underneath trees!
TBI stands for “Total Body Radiation.” Some kids that need Bone Marrow Transplants get this kind of radiation. The radiation still works the same, but you’ll just be positioned standing up instead of lying down.
This stand is what helps you hold still for TBI Radiation. You can see there is a bicycle seat for support, but not to sit on! The rolling wall moves in front of you to help spread the radiation to your whole body. You will face the machine first, then you’ll turn around and face the wall for more treatment.
For your very first treatment, you will have wires taped to you to measure how much radiation you are getting. For your first half of treatment, there will be lead blocks in front of you, to block your lungs from the radiation. You just need to stand very still, using the seat and handle for support.
TBI takes 20 to 45 minutes, so if you want; bring a book on tape or a CD to listen to.
For parents: Most kids handle new procedures much better with some preparation beforehand so they know what to expect. Reading through this information with your child or teen will give her or him a better understanding of what the experience will be like.
Sometimes it can be hard to stay as still as you have to for your radiation treatment, so make sure you get all your wiggles out before you lie down. To help hold very still, some kids like to imagine they are in their favorite place. Sometimes closing your eyes, taking some big breaths, and picturing a place that makes you happy can help make the time fly by and before you know it, your radiation treatment is finished for the day.
What are your favorite places? Why don’t you pretend with your mom or dad taking a "pretend trip” to one of those places?
You can bring your favorite CD or tape to listen to during your simulation or treatment. Some kids even bring books-on-tape so they can hear a story that makes the time seem to fly by. If you want to, you can bring a favorite blanket from home or your favorite toy or stuffed animal to hold on to during radiation.
Ask a Child Life Specialist for more ideas to help make radiation easier! Call 206-987-1846 for ideas on communication and coping.