“Mouth sores with chemotherapy?”
My daughter started to have chemotherapy and not only has she experienced side effects of nausea and hair loss, I also noticed that she has mouth sores. Is this normal? She's also 8 years old.
3 Answers
Hello....
Chemotherapy can cause several side effects. Some of those you mentioned in your question include hair loss, nausea and vomiting, or decreased blood counts. Another side effect is due to the effect of chemotherapy or radiation on rapidly replicating cells in the body which includes the cells lining the mouth and digestive tract. Mouth soreness is common and the amount and symptoms depend on the administered chemotherapy. The effects include pain, decreased oral intake and may also result in an infection. One place to learn more about this complication is the website: oralcancerfoudation.org.
It is important to try to prevent or treat this complication. The above website gives suggestions for this treatment and prevention of this complication or its effects. One excellent suggestion is good mouthwashes which might need to be performed every four hours or after eating or drinking.. Some regimens are suggested in the above article. It is a good idea to discuss these concerns with the patient’s doctor as various medications can be prescribed or doses or drugs may need to be adjusted.
Good luck.
Chemotherapy can cause several side effects. Some of those you mentioned in your question include hair loss, nausea and vomiting, or decreased blood counts. Another side effect is due to the effect of chemotherapy or radiation on rapidly replicating cells in the body which includes the cells lining the mouth and digestive tract. Mouth soreness is common and the amount and symptoms depend on the administered chemotherapy. The effects include pain, decreased oral intake and may also result in an infection. One place to learn more about this complication is the website: oralcancerfoudation.org.
It is important to try to prevent or treat this complication. The above website gives suggestions for this treatment and prevention of this complication or its effects. One excellent suggestion is good mouthwashes which might need to be performed every four hours or after eating or drinking.. Some regimens are suggested in the above article. It is a good idea to discuss these concerns with the patient’s doctor as various medications can be prescribed or doses or drugs may need to be adjusted.
Good luck.
Mouth sores is a very common side effect of chemotherapy, and a painful side effect. It is important to stay hydrated, maintain good oral hygiene, and ask your doctor for mouth sore prevention and treatment options.
This is not uncommon. Ask her medical oncologist for a mouthwash to help with this.
