Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology

Long Term Effects of a Bone Marrow Transplant

A bone marrow transplant can affect your child's health in many different ways. This is due to the long-term side effects of chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment, as well as the medicines taken. Here are some examples of how a transplant can affect your child's health. The health care team will talk with you about these in more detail.

• Sterility: Because of treatments, a child may become sterile, or not able to produce children once they reach adulthood.
• Delayed Growth or Puberty: Children who receive treatments may not grow to their full height. Your child will have his or her growth checked often. If your child is not showing growth, he or she may begin seeing a special doctor for treatment.
• Hypothyroidism: Your child's thyroid gland may become damaged from the radiation treatment. Blood tests will help the health care team check to see if the thyroid is functioning properly.
• Cataracts: Sometimes the eyes are affected by treatments. Damage to the cornea of the eye or cataracts may occur. This is why your child will have yearly exams with an eye doctor. If your child complains of blurred vision or sees floaters (dark spots before the eyes), tell the health care team right away.
• Dental Caries: Your child will see a dentist on a regular basis. This is because teeth may now decay faster than normal. New teeth may come in smaller than usual as a result of radiation treatment.
• Changes in Skin: Your child's skin will tend to be more dry and more sensitive to sun. be sure your child wears a sunscreen lotion of at least #15 SPF or higher when outdoors. Because your child may not sweat as freely as before, watch for signs of overheating. This includes flushed skin, dizziness and/or headaches.
• Avascular Necrosis (AVN): This condition is when the bone's growth plate dies. It comes from long term treatment with chemotherapy, radiation and some medicines. If your child complains of pain in the joints of the hips, knees or feet, tell the health care team right away.
• Other Organ Toxicity: The kidneys may develop problems from treatment. Tests will be done on your child's kidneys to see if they are working correctly.
• Changes in Short-Term Memory: Some children, especially those less than 3 years old, may have changes in their ability to learn. Short-term memory may also be affected. This means your child may not remember something that happened only an hour ago. If you notice any of these changes in your child, tell the health care team.
• Secondary Cancers: Your child is at greater risk for the return of cancer in the first four months following the bone marrow transplant. Your child is also at risk for secondary cancer such as lymphoma. This is why your child will visit the health care team often for the next 6 to 12 months.