Education for Children With Chronic Illness

Abstract

Thousands of schools and universities transitioned to fully online learning in 2020, during which many students with special education needs lost appropriate accommodations and some with chronic health needs lost access to schooling altogether. This recent trial by fire has allowed us to see firsthand that children with chronic medical conditions and special education needs have additional significant challenges to learning online and deserve more attention from pediatric clinicians. This is particularly important since education is an essential component of social development and impactful social determinant of health.The structure of educational instruction is changing and is expected to include greater reliance on online or hybrid formats. Pediatric clinicians must become aware of how this may affect the children and adolescents they care for, especially those with disabilities and/or chronic medical conditions. Armed with this knowledge, they can better ensure that all patients have the opportunity to function to their highest academic potential, providing them with a stronger foundation for improved health in adulthood. Herein, we provide an overview of online learning trends and highlight findings from pediatric oncology research, providing insight regarding ensuring optimal learning for all children with chronic medical needs.

Learning as the best medicine: Proposal for SMART schooling for hospitalized children

“…Chronically ill children and adolescents may experience hospitalization, which separates them from home, school, and typical daily activities [ 20 ]. This situation can cause delays in their learning processes and attainment of educational milestones [ 22 ]. Due to their isolation from the classroom, chronically ill children and adolescents are more likely to have experiences that negatively affect their learning, emotions, and socialization [ 10 ].…”

A Reflection on the Relationship Between Place and Health:

“…16 Virtual learning may also have implications for instructors' ability to accommodate differences in students' learning styles. 17 These implications include accommodating students with visual or auditory disabilities, 18,19 or those that require more varied support, from reading and writing assignments to hands-on experiences. 20 Prior research to understand student needs during the pandemic has also focused on stressors experienced with regard to COVID-19.…”