What to do if my child/young person has any side effects

This page is for general information and further reading about managing the side-effects of treatment.

If you or your child/young person is unwell or have any other concerns not listed in the content below, contact your Triage number. 

If you or your child/young person needs to be admitted to hospital they may require being assessed and admitted via A&E. If the dedicated oncology ward is full or cannot accommodate the admission you may need to be cared for on another ward. Our doctors will still review you daily and be in close contact with the ward team looking after you.

Common side effects of treatment

Below is a list of common side effects and related topics. Click the boxes to read more about each area.

Bleeding & Bruising

Bleeding & Bruising side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • A small cut/bruise after an injury or a short nose bleed and bleeding as stopped within 20 minutes. 

Advice

  • You can monitor this at home.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Any spontaneous bruising or small purple spots not explained by an injury.

  • Any very serious bleeding or a nosebleed or cut that will not stop bleeding after 20 minutes.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
breath Created with Sketch. Breathing difficulty/ Noisy Breathing

Breathing difficulty/ Noisy Breathing side effects

Severe

Symptoms

  • Shortness of breath at normal level of activity (walking) OR at rest.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.

  • If sudden and severe consider also calling 999.

Confusion/altered behaviour

Confusion/altered behaviour side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Steroids and chemotherapy can cause low mood or tantrums. 

Advice

  • If there is concern it is more serious or you are struggling to cope please call the triage number.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Any other change in behaviour, suspected seizure or confusion.

Advice

  • Please call the triage number.
constipation Created with Sketch. Constipation

Constipation side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • If you/your child have reduced stool (poo) frequency or difficulty going to the toilet you can monitor this for a day.

Advice

  • Try to increase fluid and fibre intake and try to use the toilet in a sitting forward position with feet raised after meals – this can help. 
Severe

Symptoms

  • If constipation persists or passing a stool (poo) is very painful.

Advice

  • Please contact your team sooner rather than later.
  • We can give a prescription to stop things getting worse.
Contact with infectious diseases

Contact with infectious diseases side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Contact with colds, flu, COVID, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Advice

  •  Please monitor and report should you/your child develop symptoms.
Severe

Symptoms

  • For contact with other illnesses – particularly chickenpox and measles.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
Coughs/colds

Coughs/colds side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • A runny nose without fever can be managed at home.
  • A cough without fever or breathing difficulty can be managed at home if you/your child seems otherwise well.

Advice

  • Please check with us before giving any medications, but throat sweets e.g. strepsils/soothers are ok.
Severe

Symptoms

  • If you/your child feel more unwell with what seems to be a cough/cold.
  • If there is a fever.
  • If you/your child are coughing up blood.
  • If you/your child are breathless or wheezy.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
diarrhoea Created with Sketch. Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • If you/your child have loose stools but feel well and this is limited to less than 3 per day and you are able to keep a good fluid intake.

Advice

  •  You can monitor at home.
Severe

Symptoms

  • If diarrhoea is very frequent

  • If diarrhoea contains blood

  • If you are struggling with fluid intake and are thirsty

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
fatigue Created with Sketch. Fatigue/Sleepiness

Fatigue/Sleepiness side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Fatigue is common after chemotherapy, radiotherapy and some types of surgery.
  • Some tiredness but not interfering with activities for daily living.

Advice

  • If you/your child need more sleep/naps but have normal behaviour at times during the day this can be monitored at home.
Severe

Symptoms

  • If fatigue is preventing normal activites even in short bursts (eg going upstairs, dressing, showering, meals).

  • If a person is unusually difficult to wake.

  • If you/your child has become very pale.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
Fever

Fever side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Temperature is below 37.5.

Advice

  • No need to re-check unless unwell.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Temperature is above 37.5.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
Headache

Headache side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • A mild headache that does not stop you/your child doing activities such as watching TV can be monitored.

Advice

  • You can use any pain killers that have been prescribed.
  • A good fluid intake, some food and a sleep can be helpful.
Severe

Symptoms

  • If the headache is very severe.
  • If there is vomiting.
  • If there is altered vision.
  • If you have a shunt and this is not typical for you.
  • If there is numbness/speech difficulty.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
Line/Port Problems

Line/Port Problems side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Line bung/end accidentally got dirty – this can be cleaned at home with a clean cloth, soap and water.
  • Please warn the next person accessing the line.

Advice

  • Dressing peeling – if you have replacement dressings and know how to use them you can do this at home
  • Line site got wet – dry it off, replace dressing if able and monitor for redness.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Clamps unclipped.
  • Redness or pus from line site.
  • Swelling around line site.
  • Hole in line or broken line.
  • Line has fallen out.

Advice

  • Please call your triage team.
sick Created with Sketch. Nausea/Vomiting

Nausea/Vomiting side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Feeling sick or have had 1-2 episodes of vomiting.

Advice

  • Monitor this and increase antisickness medication if you have the option to do so. If in doubt call.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Nausea is prolonged and interfering with everday activities/vomiting is frequent and limiting ability to take in fluid.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
pain Created with Sketch. Pain/Numbness

Pain/Numbness side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Mild Pain not interfering with activities of daily living.

Advice

  • We do not advise routine use of paracetamol/ibuprofen for mild pain.
  • If you have morphine already prescribed this can be tried and given according to your prescription for 24 hours.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Pain that is not improving after morphine.

  • Pain that has lasted more than 24 hours.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
rash Created with Sketch. Rash/Skin Problems

Rash/Skin Problems side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Itching can be common after some drugs.

Advice

  •  Use of moisturiser or cold wet towels can help.
Severe

Symptoms

  • New rashes.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number to describe any new rashes.
  • It would be helpful to have a photo ready in case we ask for this but please don’t send automatically.
hands Created with Sketch. Reduced mobility

Reduced mobility side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • You may find stairs more difficult after steroid treatment.

Advice

  • If you/your child feel fatigued or have some general aches and pains this can be monitored.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Any loss of strength in your arms/legs.

  • Any drooping of the face/eyelids.

  • Any severe pain, severe pins and needles should be discussed with your team.

Advice

  • Please call the triage number.
mouth Created with Sketch. Sore mouth

Sore mouth side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • Mouth feels sore, or there are ulcers, but you/your child can eat and drink.

Advice

  • Try any prescribed pain killers/mouthwashes.

  • Gels/mouthwashes may help. It can also help to avoid spicy, acidic or vinegary foods and sharp lumpy foods. 

  • Regular toothbrushing with a soft brush is helpful to prevent it worsening.

Severe

Symptoms

  • If you/your child have severe pain and cannot either eat or drink.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.
Unable to eat/drink

Unable to eat/drink side effects

Mild

Symptoms

  • It is common for appetites to reduce on treatment.

Advice

  • 1-2 days of reduced food but good fluid intake can be managed at home.
  • Offering small snacks frequently may help in place of large meals.
Severe

Symptoms

  • Less than half or usual fluid intake or not reaching a target your team have set.
  • Excessive thirst.
  • Prolonged lack of food and feeling weak/unwell so unable to do usual activities.

Advice

  • Please call your triage number.