Taste buds can be affected by certain chemotherapy drugs and cranial radiotherapy.
This can alter the brain’s perception of how food tastes.
For example, meats often taste bitter, and sweets can taste acidic.
Some foods may lose their taste altogether. Even a child’s favourite foods can become totally unpalatable.
This change in taste is called dysgeusia
Some children recover their normal taste well into treatment, while for others it may return as soon as treatment has ended. However, these side effects may take months or years to return to normality once chemotherapy has stopped.
Children who experience taste changes are also at risk of developing unhealthy food aversions that can stay with them for years if they do not receive good support during the initial experience.
Keep the Mouth Clean
Good oral hygiene will help minimize negative taste changes. Gently brush your child’s teeth, gums and tongue with a soft bristled toothbrush in the morning, before and after meals, and before bed. Choose a mild, non-abrasive toothpaste with fluoride.
Rinsing the mouth helps prevent infection, aids healing of mouth sores and improve taste. Rinsing with a solution of salt and baking soda solution before meals may help neutralize bad tastes. Use ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of warm water.
Serve Small, Frequent Meals
Serve small amounts of high protein, high calorie foods every 2 or 3 hours, rather than asking your child to eat 3 large meals a day.
Ask friends and relatives to help prepare meals based on the tastes that work for your child. Explain clearly the reasons for these choices, so they understand.
Prepare and store small servings ahead of time, so there is always something ready to eat when your child feels hungry.
Do not serve food for 1-2 hours before chemotherapy, and up to 3 hours after treatment, to prevent taste changes caused by nausea.
Choose Foods Wisely
Choose healthy foods that are high in protein and calories. High protein foods include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans and pulses.
Some spices and seasonings will worsen discomfort if your child’s mouth is sore. So check the mouth for signs of sores, and choose your flavourings carefully.
Cooking food with seasonings, herbs and spices can improve their taste. However, some spices and seasonings will worsen discomfort if your child’s mouth is sore. So check the mouth for signs of sores, and choose your flavourings carefully.
Cold foods may taste better than dishes served hot. If serving a hot meal, your child may find it more palatable if it is allowed to cool to room temperature first.
Avoid serving your child’s favourite foods during chemotherapy if they are likely to be affected by taste changes (very bitter, sweet or salty). If the food tastes nasty, your child may develop an aversion to it.
Discourage drinking lots before a meal as this can cause your child to feel full and therefore eat less. Serve drinks after the meal.
If Food Tastes Metallic
Serve food cold or at room temperature.
Marinate meat or poultry in fruit juices, sauces (e.g. BBQ, sweet and sour, teriyaki, or soy) or salad dressings like Italian dressing.
Serve cold meats with condiments like pickle or chutney.
Cook with glass cookware, and encourage your child to use plastic utensils rather than stainless steel. To prevent your child feeling different, it may be helpful if the entire family eats with plastic utensils.
Use fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables, beans and pulses, rather than canned products.
Substitute red meat with other protein rich foods such as poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, peanut butter, cottage cheese, quiche, milkshake, beans, hummus and custard puddings
Try tart foods such as citrus fruits, lemonade, or citrus boiled candy (unless you have mouth sores).
If Foods Taste Too Bitter
Serve food cold or at room temperature.
Serve sweet foods or add sugar/sugar substitutes to dishes.
Try mild tasting foods like
plain toast or crackers, dry cereal, mashed potato, boiled or steamed rice, plain yogurt, plain noodles, cottage cheese, vanilla custard puddings and milk.
If Foods Taste Too Sweet`
Add a little salt. You can add a small amount of salt to desserts like ice cream or milkshakes to decrease their sweet taste.
Add water, soda water, milk or ice to dilute juices, milkshakes and supplements.
Tart flavoured foods and beverages may taste more appealing.
If Foods Taste Too Salty
Try low-salt or reduced-sodium products.
To reduce a salty flavour, add a small amount of sugar to foods like soups, salted dressings, juices, cottage cheese, casseroles, mashed potato, gravy and tomato sauce.
If Foods Taste Too Strong
Serve mild-tasting foods like plain toast or crackers, dry cereal, mashed potato, boiled or steamed rice, plain yogurt, plain noodles, cottage cheese, custard puddings and milk.
If Foods Taste Bland
Encourage your child to take bites of different tasting foods during the meal. For example, grilled cheese and herbed tomato juice, plain tortillas and salsa, or plain yoghurt and pineapple.
Serve high flarour dishes. Cook with seasonings, spices and sauces. Your child may be able to taste these stronger flavours, making the food more inviting.
Marinate meat, poultry or fish in fruit juices, dressings, sauces and gravies.
Cook food with garlic, seasonings, herbs (e.g. mint, dill, basil, rosemary and oregano) and spices (e.g. cumin, chili pepper, ginger and cinnamon).
Serve cold meats with condiments like pickle or chutney.
Serve fruit or coffee flavoured shakes.
Make Mealtimes Enjoyable
Ensure your family’s eating environment is relaxed and comfortable.
Avoid smoking around your child. Not only is second-hand smoke very unhealthy for a child, but it can also worsen taste changes caused by chemotherapy.
Avoid you and your child becoming over-tired. Fatigue and stress will make the experience of taste changes and the resulting emotional challenge of meal times harder to cope with.
Your child may eat more if the experience is extra-fun. Consider serving the meal in an unusual way such as a carpet picnic or with a special theme. Socializing can also make a meal more enjoyable, so think about inviting friends.
Don’t give your child a hard time about not eating what you serve. In the days immediately after chemotherapy. Your child will be struggling with the experience and your frustration or anger will only increase his distress.
Allow your child to eat the foods that taste good, and set aside those that don’t, but do prepare those discarded dishes in the future as tastes to change once chemotherapy ends.
Talk With the Doctor
Taste changes can cause loss of appetite and weight loss at a time when the body especially needs good calorie and nutrient intake to stay strong.
If you are concerned that taste changes are consistently reducing the amount your child eats each day, or he is losing weight, discuss this with the oncologist. The doctor will help you ensure your child gets the right amount of calories and nutrients to keep the body as strong as possible throughout treatment.
