Childhood Leukemia Survivors and Their Return to School: A Literature Review, Case Study, and Recommendations

Abstract

Leukemias (blood cell cancers) and central nervous system tumors are the most frequently occurring types of cancer in children. Mortality rates from all childhood cancers have decreased over the past 2 decades. As a result, many childhood cancer survivors are now returning to their schools after having been successfully treated. Although most of these survivors will continue receiving ongoing medical management after cancer treatment, far fewer receive specialized educational services. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to this often-overlooked area. The authors also review the case of 1 childhood leukemia survivor as a case example, and examine the cognitive/intellectual and affective/psychosocial sequelae that resulted after routine cancer treatment. They posit that school psychologists are uniquely positioned to provide vital assessment and educational services to childhood cancer survivors, and they offer a series of recommendations for when such children present within school settings.

Understanding the school experiences of children and adolescents with serious chronic illness: a systematic meta‐review

“…Three reviews (two high quality) examining cancer that included 15 original articles found evidence for both positive and challenging school reintegration experiences (Wakefield et al ; Herrmann et al ; Pini et al ). School reintegration was not examined in other illnesses.…”

“…School practices promoting students' engagement with school may be a viable support approach that addresses the academic and social needs of students with chronic illness. Two high-quality systematic reviews (Vance & Eiser 2002;Wakefield et al 2010) and one narrative review (Herrmann et al 2011) (case-controlled, cohort and qualitative studies)…”

“…Academic-based outcomes Five high-quality systematic reviews (Langeveld et al 2002;Milton et al 2004;Moser et al 2013;Pini et al 2012;Vance & Eiser 2002), three low-quality systematic reviews (Kortmann et al 2003;Marri & Buchman 2005;Taras & Potts-Datema 2005) and nine narrative reviews (Basch 2011;Daly et al 2008;Davis 2005;Doroshow 2001;Gerson et al 2006;Gipson et al 2007;Gurney et al 2009;Herrmann et al 2011;Palmer & Leigh 2009) (cross-sectional, cohort, case-control and qualitative studies)…”

“…Descriptive studies suggested that academic performance is affected in some, but largely dependent on associated factors. and challenging school reintegration experiences (Wakefield et al 2010;Herrmann et al 2011;Pini et al 2012). School reintegration was not examined in other illnesses.…”

Correction of Executive Functions and the Operation of the Saccadic System in Children With Tumors of the Posterior Cranial Fossa

“…Нейрокогнитивные нару-шения вызывают ограничения в ежедневной активно-сти: в самообслуживании, учебе, профессиональной деятельности [5,9,10].…”