Remediation of learning difficulties in children after treatment for a cerebellar medulloblastoma: A single-case study

Abstract

In the process of establishing a methodology for individualized remediation programmes in children treated for cerebellar tumour, this study followed prospectively over 11 years a young child treated for a medulloblastoma at 18 months of age throughout the rehabilitation process. Repeated neuropsychological and academic evaluations evidenced temporary disruptive behaviour, deficient manual and visual abilities, attention and working memory difficulties, but preserved language abilities, in relation with vermian and left cerebellar damage. However, the described remediation programmes and interventions allowed the child to have fluent progression in school. Limits and benefits of rehabilitation are discussed.

Cognitive disorders in pediatric medulloblastoma: what neuroimaging has to offer

“…61 Butler and Cope land found that childhood cancer survivors who participated in cognitive training improved significantly in all attentional measures. In another study by Callu et al, 9 rehabilitation allowed a child treated for a medulloblastoma to have fluent progression at school. The program encourages various groups, including the rehabilitation team, psychotherapists, parents, and teachers, to work together to improve cognitive function for these children.…”

A comprehensive model of care for rehabilitation of children with acquired brain injuries

“…The results of the outreach programme dedicated specifically to the children in the cancer centre have been published recently and indicate that it is crucial to co‐ordinate the complex rehabilitation and academic achievement of those children over the long‐term and that a programme such as this is very beneficial (Kieffer et al . 2007; Callu et al . 2008).…”

Time perception in children treated for a cerebellar medulloblastoma

“…There is also an impairment of fine motor skills, as for adult patients with cerebellar damage (Ribi et al, 2005). Children with lesions of the cerebellum obtain low scores in the Purdue Pegboard test (PP) (Tiffin, 1948) used to assess manual dexterity (Callu et al, 2008;Grill et al, 2004;Puget et al, 2009). Recently, Puget et al (2009) showed that the degree of dysfunction in coordination of fine movements measured by the PP test was directly correlated to the extent of injury to both dentate nuclei and inferior vermis, irrespective of other risk factors such as the age at diagnosis or the interval since radiotherapy.…”