Books for the Hem/Onc Clinic
Today, I am adding to my list of books for the Hematology/Oncology clinic. I started this list by sharing some special books that support families fighting cancer. Cancer is horrible, and these families deserve tons of support. ALSO, there are children with other illnesses that are seen in the hem/onc clinic. Many of these illnesses do not get talked about as much as childhood cancer which can make them feel forgotten about or under supported. These families also deserve resources, and so today I am sharing some children’s books about other hematology disorders. Plus, some simple books for young children about different parts of hem/onc care. Some even apply to things that happen outside of hem/onc care too. They could be great for simple repetition, normalizing, and basic understanding.
Sickle Cell Disease:
My Friend Jen: A Little Different and My Friend Jen: The Check Up by Jenica Leah
Two sweet rhyming books about a girl with sickle cell. My Friend Jen: A Little Different talks about being friends with Jen and how fun she is to be with. It also touches on different ways Jen has to take care of her body, as a kid with sickle cell, and how she can still be a good friend. My Friend Jen: The Check Up talks about the different parts of Jen’s doctor visit including the pulse-ox, blood pressure cough, and blood draw. I thought this would be good for young children who might be anxious about doctor’s visits. The end of the book did mention that her veins were thin and sometimes took several pokes. This might be anxiety provoking or misleading depending on the child and should be taken in consideration. These books would be good for preschool through young elementary.
Sickle Cell Superheroes by Destiny Van Sciver
This book is written as though it is a girl with sickle cell disease talking to another person with sickle cell. The book tells the story of this girl, but also acknowledges that each person with sickle cell has their own story. The book also covers important details for peers to know regarding blood cells, how kids with sickle cell take care of their bodies, what sickle cell kids do when they are in pain and what it is like when they go to the hospital and their “medical superheroes” help them. The book is approachable, empowering, and does a nice job with simple explanations.
Lupus:
What is Lupus?: Helping a Child You Know Understand Lupus by Adrienne O’Connor and Caitlin McNamara
Another book written by child life specialists! This is a factual book that uses simple words to explain lupus and its relationship to the immune system. This book also includes tips for caregivers and additional activities. Similar to their cancer-related books the authors created this book in a way that doesn’t represent one family or one experience. It is appropriate for any family! These books would be good for preschool through upper elementary.
Other general parts of Hem/Onc care:
The Silly Cell by William Belmont (stem cells)
This cute story is about a cell who doesn’t know what kind of cell he is. He travels throughout the body to compare himself to other cells. In this playful way, the reader learns about different kinds of cells. At the end of the story, the reader learns that he is a stem cell, and therefore can transform into another kind of cell. If a child or someone in their life is receiving stem cells, this book would be super relevant.
My Port; My Central Line; My PICC Line; My Scans; My NG Tube; and a variety of books by Aungus Olsen at www.idrawchildhoodcancer.com
I found a large variety of simple books about common tubes and scans created by Angus Olsen, a parent of a kid with cancer. All of the books are relatively simple, but could be a good way for young children to receive simple repetitive information with child-friendly medically correct illustrations so that they understand. The website above even has all of the books on it so that you can preview and see if they are right for your kiddo. These books would be good for ages 2-5.
