Nutrition features of young children with oncological diseases in the process of antitumor treatment

Abstract

Carrying out antitumor treatment of children with oncological diseases is often accompanied by many complications, one of the most significant eating disorders. These disorders can aggravate the existing problems, complicate the patient’s treatment and often dictate the need for special nutritional support. First of all, it is based on the limitations associated with the requirements for low microbial density of food (due to sharply reduced immunity), gastrointestinal disorders of varying severity and prevalence, peculiarities of taste and appetite of the child (which are almost always violated in the process of antitumor therapy), as well as psychological problems. In children of early age, this situation is very significant, since complications (especially gastrointestinal complications) can last for a long time, which may limit the development of the child, even if the basic treatment is successfully completed, or even prevent him or her from developing at all. Therefore, such patients need special nutritional support: enteral and often parenteral nutrition, as well as a special approach to diet, which is often based on industrial baby food products.