What safety measures should you take when your child is using this medicine?
Temozolomide can lower the number of white blood cells temporarily, which increases your child's chances of getting an infection.
You can take the following precautions to prevent infections:
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Avoid people with infections, such as a cold or the flu.
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Avoid places that are very crowded, with large groups of people.
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Be careful when brushing or flossing your child's teeth. Your doctor, nurse, or dentist may suggest different ways to clean your child's mouth and teeth.
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You or your child shouldn't touch your child's eyes or inside of their nose without washing hands first.
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Your child's nurse will review with you what to do in case of fever.
Temozolomide can lower the number of platelets in the blood, which increases your child's risk of bleeding. You can take the following precautions:
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Be careful not to cut your child when using a razor, fingernail scissors, or toenail clippers.
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Your child should avoid contact sports where bruising or injury could occur.
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Before your child has surgery, including dental surgery, inform the doctor or dentist that your child is taking temozolomide.
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Your child should not receive a permanent tattoo or any kind of body piercing.
Vaccines
Your child should not receive any immunizations (vaccines) without your child's doctor's approval. Your child or anyone else in your household should not get oral polio vaccine while your child is being treated for cancer. Tell your child's doctor if anyone in your household has recently received oral polio vaccine. Your child should avoid contact with anyone who has recently received this vaccine.
Fertility
There is a chance that temozolomide may cause birth defects if it is taken at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. If your child is sexually active, it is best that they use some kind of birth control while receiving temozolomide. Tell the doctor right away if your child may be pregnant.
After receiving temozolomide your child may not be able to have children or have more difficulty having children. Your child's doctor will discuss this in more detail with you/your child.
Drug interactions
Check with your child's doctor or pharmacist before giving your child any other medicines (prescription, non-prescription, herbal, or natural products).
