SQL/Coldfusion help

Hi guys, I need some help getting my head around this query..

I want to make a menu based on whether there is anything in a number of tables under a certain ID or not.

I'm not sure If I need to make a query for each table? or can I use a join here somehow?

I want something like:

CFIF
show this text </cfif>

and repeat that for all the tables I require..

sorry my head just can't get around it today!

thanks in advance.

Keira