Front Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- Foreword -- Introduction -- 1. Diagnosis -- Signs and symptoms -- Where should your child receive treatment? -- Physical responses -- Emotional responses -- The immediate future -- 2. The Brain and Spinal Cord -- The brain -- Spinal cord -- Ventricular system -- Increased intracranial pressure -- From the CNS to the body -- 3. Types of Tumors -- Who gets central nervous system tumors? -- Types of brain and spinal cord tumors -- Treatment -- 4. Telling Your Child and Others -- Telling your child -- Telling the siblings -- Notifying the family -- Notifying friends and neighbors -- Notifying your child's school -- Using technology to communicate -- 5. Choosing a Treatment -- Treatment basics -- Standard treatment -- The protocol -- Clinical trials -- Making a decision -- Protocol changes -- 6. Coping with Procedures -- Planning for procedures -- Pain management -- Procedures -- 7. Forming a Partnership with the Treatment Team -- The hospital -- Finding a neurosurgeon and neuro-oncologist -- Choosing a hospital -- Types of relationships -- Communication -- Getting a second opinion -- Conflict resolution -- Changing doctors -- 8. Hospitalization -- The room -- The floor -- Food -- Parking -- The endless waiting -- Working with the staff -- Being an advocate for your child -- Playing -- 9. Venous Catheters -- External catheter -- Subcutaneous port -- Peripherally inserted central catheter -- Cost -- Choosing not to use a catheter -- Making a decision -- Adhesives -- 10. Surgery -- The neurosurgeon -- Types of surgery -- Presurgical evaluation -- Anesthesia -- The surgery -- Postoperative complications -- Rehabilitation -- Discharge -- 11. Chemotherapy -- How chemotherapy drugs work -- How chemotherapy drugs are given -- Dosages -- Variability in response to medications.

Questions to ask the doctor -- Guidelines for calling the doctor -- Chemotherapy drug list -- Chemotherapy drugs and their possible side effects -- Prophylactic antibiotics -- Colony-stimulating factors -- Antinausea drugs used during chemotherapy -- Drugs used to relieve pain -- Topical anesthetics to prevent pain -- Complementary treatments -- Alternative treatments -- 12. Common Side Effects of Chemotherapy -- Bed wetting -- Changes in taste and smell -- Constipation -- Dental problems -- Diarrhea -- Fatigue and weakness -- Hair loss -- Low blood cell counts -- Mouth and throat sores -- Nausea and vomiting -- Seizures -- Serious illnesses -- Skin and nail problems -- Steroid problems -- Can pets transmit diseases? -- 13. Radiation Therapy -- Parts of the body where radiation is used -- Types of radiation therapy -- Who needs radiation treatment? -- Questions to ask about radiation treatment -- Where should your child go for radiation treatment? -- Radiation oncologist -- Radiation therapist -- Immobilization devices -- Sedation -- What is a radiation treatment like? -- Possible short-term side effects -- Possible long-term side effects -- 14. Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation -- What is a peripheral blood stem cell transplant? -- When are transplants necessary? -- Choosing a transplant center -- Paying for the transplant -- Stem cell harvest and storage -- The transplant -- Emotional responses -- Complications after transplant -- Long-term side effects -- 15. Siblings -- Emotional responses of the siblings -- Sibling experiences -- Helping siblings cope -- Positive outcomes for the siblings -- 16. Family and Friends -- Restructuring family life -- The extended family -- Friends -- 17. Communication and Behavior -- Communication -- Common behavioral changes in children -- Common behavioral changes in parents -- Improving communication.

Checklist for parenting stressed children -- 18. School -- Keeping the school informed -- Keeping the teacher and classmates involved -- Keeping up with schoolwork -- Helping siblings -- Returning to school -- Avoiding communicable diseases -- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 -- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act -- Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) -- Your legal rights (Canada) -- The terminally ill child and school -- 19 . Sources of Support -- Hospital social workers -- Support groups for parents -- Online support -- Support groups for children with cancer -- Support groups for siblings -- Parent-to-parent programs -- Hospital resource rooms -- Brain tumor conferences -- Clergy and religious community -- Individual and family counseling -- Camps -- 20. Nutrition -- How treatment affects eating -- What kids should eat -- Making eating fun and nutritious -- What kids really eat -- Nutritionists and dietitians -- Parent advice -- Commercial nutritional supplements -- Feeding by tube and IV -- 21. Medical and Financial Record-keeping -- Keeping medical records -- Keeping financial records -- Coping with insurance -- Sources of financial assistance -- 22. End of Treatment and Beyond -- Emotional issues -- Last day of treatment -- Catheter removal -- Ceremonies -- What is normal? -- Follow-up care -- Treatment summaries -- Employment -- Health insurance -- 23. Recurrence -- Signs and symptoms -- Emotional responses -- Goal setting and treatment planning -- Making a decision about treatment -- 24. Death and Bereavement -- Transitioning from active treatment -- Supportive care -- Dying in the hospital -- Dying at home -- Involving siblings -- The funeral -- The role of family and friends -- Sibling grief -- Parental grief -- 25. Looking Forward -- Appendices -- A. Blood Tests and What They Mean -- Values for healthy children.

Values for children on chemotherapy -- Common blood tests -- Your child's pattern -- B. Resource Organizations -- Pediatric neurosurgeons -- Brain tumor organizations (United States) -- Brain tumor organization (Canada) -- Brain tumor organization (Australia) -- Other service organizations (United States) -- Other service organization (Canada) -- Other service organizations (Australia) -- Camps -- Clinical trials -- Educational and legal support -- Financial help -- Free air services (United States) -- Free air service (Canada) -- Free air service (Australia) -- Insurance -- Medications (low-cost or free) -- Sports organizations -- Stem cell transplantation -- Wish-fulfillment organizations (United States) -- Wish-fulfillment organization (Canada) -- Wish-fulfillment organizations (Australia) -- Hospice and bereavement (United States) -- Hospice and bereavement (Canada) -- Hospice and bereavement (Australia) -- C. Books and Websites -- How to get information from your library or computer -- Books -- Websites -- Index -- Cancer Survivor's Treatment Record.