Chemotherapy & Infusion Therapy Expertise in a Healing Environment

Infusion therapy takes place when medication is administered through a needle or catheter. This is most commonly used when a patient’s disease is severe and oral medication is not an effective treatment option. Chemotherapy is a common infusion therapy used to treat cancers.

At University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s we are committed to delivering effective infusion therapies in a comfortable and healing environment – at many locations across northeast Ohio. Our hematology/oncology nurses are chemo certified and specialists within their field. Most clinic nurses have at least 10 years of experience, and their expertise is a tremendous asset in administering infusion treatments. Our significant experience and national accreditations show a steadfast commitment to chemotherapy and infusion therapy treatment.

Compassionate and Effective Pediatric Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to treat cancer or kill cancer cells. It’s one of the most common treatments for cancer. Chemotherapy works in different ways to fight cancer cells - such as interference with the ability of cancer cells to grow or reproduce. It’s also common for cancer to be treated with more than one medicine at a time. Chemotherapy may be used alone or it may be used with other treatments, such as radiation or surgery.

Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy means the medicines are administered through a vein in the arm. The anti-cancer drug travels through the blood to kill cancer cells in the body. Chemotherapy can be an effective cancer treatment. But while they kill cancer cells, the medicines can also damage healthy cells and cause side effects. Your child's oncologist will watch your child very closely for chemotherapy side effects.

Before starting treatment, your child may have blood and imaging tests. He or she may have minor surgery to place a catheter or port, used to deliver the chemotherapy medicines, other medicines or to take blood samples. This prevents your child from having repeated needle sticks and can make treatment a more pleasant experience.

Infusion Therapies for a Range of Diseases

Chemotherapy is a common infusion therapy, but this type of treatment can be used to treat a wide range of diseases in children. Factor replacement therapy is another common example of infusion therapy. This is used to stop or prevent bleeding in children with hemophilia with the infusion of factor VIII and IX concentrates.

A blood transfusion is also administered through an IV drip. While an IV infusion therapy refers to an outside substance administered to the blood stream, a transfusion refers to the same substance (blood). The blood may come from a donor, or the patient may receive his or her own blood that has been stored. Blood transfusions in children are commonly used to treat sickle cell disease and other blood-related diseases.

Convenient Treatment Access

At UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, we help each child and family feel supported during infusion therapy and other cancer-fighting treatments. To assist families in maintaining as normal a schedule as possible, we provide accommodations that support a more natural flow of daily life. This includes bathroom facilities, community rooms, quiet spaces for introspection, refreshment stations, and a rooftop healing garden. Each patient room includes a sleeping couch so parents and family members can stay nearby their child.

We also provide comfort and support through the Ronald McDonald Family Room, a special destination within UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital where families can get away and relax while still being close to their child.

For the convenience of our young patients, we also offer a comprehensive outpatient program. Patients may receive chemotherapy infusions, blood component transfusions and stem cell infusions without having to be admitted to the hospital. To assist families in maintaining as normal a schedule as possible, we provide easier treatment access with a range of locations. Extensive evaluations are also available at a number of community-based locations across northeast Ohio.