Full body

An external catheter is a thin, flexible, partially implanted silicone tube that extends outside the body. Inside the body, the catheter lies under the skin of the chest. It goes into a central vein near a small incision by the neck.

A central venous catheter is a device that allows health professionals to give medicines, fluids and blood products into a large central vein that leads directly into your child's heart.

You and your child will benefit from being well prepared. Ask as many questions as you need to get a clear understanding of what is going to happen and why.

 If your child has cancer they may need some tests to find out how well their organs are working.

A biopsy is a test where a doctor takes a piece of tissue out of the body to check for cancer cells.

X-rays and scans take pictures of various parts of the body. Bones show up most clearly but you can also see other tissues.

A lumbar puncture is a procedure to collect and look at the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. 

A bone marrow aspirate is a test to see if blood cells in your child's bone marrow are healthy. The test will also show whether cancer cells have spread to the bone marrow from another part of the body.

Your child's healthcare team will order regular blood tests to check for a low blood count and to know when it is safe to give the next dose of chemotherapy.

Your child will need to have some tests if your doctor thinks they may have cancer.

If your child has had a recent cancer diagnosis, you'll probably want answers to some general questions - about how cancer develops, how it is treated and what terms like 'remission' actually mean.

Child cancer care is coordinated across New Zealand so that all tamariki (children) get the best available treatment wherever they live.

Many families in Aotearoa are affected by family violence.  Help is available. If you or your tamariki are affected by family violence, call the Family Violence Information Line on 0800 456 450, or Shine's national helpline on 0508 74 46 33.

The flu (influenza) is not the same as having a bad cold. The flu can be a serious infection. Flu vaccination every year gives the best protection.

Cerebral palsy (CP) affects tamariki (children) in different ways. If you have found out your child has CP, your journey might be different from what you had planned. There are services to help your child with CP to reach their potential. The journey of every child and their whānau (family) is different.

The heel prick test is a blood test - it involves collecting a sample of blood from your baby's heel 48 hours after their birth.