Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T17:17:20.688Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

What About School? Educational Challenges for Children and Adolescents With Cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 June 2015

Barbara M. Donnan ,
Tracey Webster ,
Claire E. Wakefield ,
Luciano Dalla-Pozza ,
Frank Alvaro ,
Jenny Lavoipierre  and
Glenn M. Marshall
Barbara M. Donnan*
Affiliation:
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Sydney, Australia
Tracey Webster
Affiliation:
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Sydney, Australia
Claire E. Wakefield
Affiliation:
Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia School of Women's and Children's Health, Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Luciano Dalla-Pozza
Affiliation:
Oncology Unit — The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia
Frank Alvaro
Affiliation:
Paediatric Oncology — Kaleidoscope, John Hunter Children's Hospital, Newcastle, Australia
Jenny Lavoipierre
Affiliation:
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Sydney, Australia
Glenn M. Marshall
Affiliation:
Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: B.M. Donnan, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Sydney, Australia, Ronald McDonald House, PO Box 268 New Lambton, NSW 2305. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Many students treated for cancer experience significant challenges in maintaining their education during and beyond cancer treatment. Late effects of cancer treatment combined with prolonged periods of missed schooling can dramatically impact upon a student's physical, cognitive and social development. This study examined the relationship between cancer type, cancer treatment, time absent from school, school services and academic areas affected by the cancer diagnosis. An online survey was completed by 80 parents, representing 80 children with cancer, and 136 siblings. Twenty-four parents/carers participated in five focus groups held across rural and regional New South Wales (NSW). Additional difficulties for children and adolescents post cancer treatment were reported by 62.3% of parents and included difficulties with attention, mobility, hearing and fine motor skills. Further areas of specific academic need were identified in mathematics, memory, concentration and confidence. Despite the high level of additional need, only 9.3% of students were reported as receiving additional funding support upon their return to school. Emotional descriptions referring to turmoil, lack of understanding and lack of support were contained within the focus group transcriptions. Results indicated a high level of specific educational and psychosocial needs for this group of students who, having overcome a potentially fatal illness, must continue to fight to learn.

Keywords

cancereducationschoolparentschildrenadolescents
Type
Articles
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 32 , Issue 1 , July 2015 , pp. 23 - 40
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society Ltd 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adamson, P.C., Bagatell, R., Balis, F.M., & Blaney, S.M. (2011). General principles of chemotherapy. In Pizzo, P.A. & Pollack, D.G. (Eds.), Principles and practice of pediatric oncology (6th ed., pp. 279–355). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Alderfer, M.A., & Hodges, J.A. (2010). Supporting siblings of children with cancer: A need for family-school partnerships. School Mental Health, 2, 72–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Armenian, S.H., Meadows, A.T., & Bhatia, S. (2011). Late effects of childhood cancer and its treatment. In Pizzo, P.A. & Pollack, D.G. (Eds.), Principles and practice of pediatric oncology (6th ed., pp. 1368–1387). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Armstrong, D. (2008). Advocating for your child's learning needs: Through treatment and beyond. Telephone Education Program. Retrieved from http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org Google Scholar
Armstrong, F.D., & Horn, M. (1995). Educational issues in childhood cancer. School Psychology Quarterly, 10, 292–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Armstrong, F.D., & Reaman, G.H. (2005) Psychological research in childhood cancer: The Children's Oncology Group perspective. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 30, 89–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2008). Cancer survival and prevalence in Australia: Cancers diagnosed from 1982 to 2004 (Cat. no. CAN 38). Canberra, Australia: Author. Retrieved from http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442468141 Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2012). A picture of Australia's children 2012 (Cat. no. PHE 167). Canberra, Australia: Author. Retrieved from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737423343 Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2011). Census data 2011. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/census Google Scholar
Blackman, J.A., Gurka, M.J., Gurka, K.K., & Oliver, M.N. (2011). Emotional, developmental and behavioural co-morbidities of children with chronic health conditions. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 47, 742–747.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broyd, B.P., Pritchard-Jones, K., & Edwards, L. (2008). Pupils with cancer, a guide for teachers. London: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Retrieved from http://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/diagnosis-treatment/children-young-people/teachersguides/pupils-with-cancer.pdf Google Scholar
Butler, R.W., & Mulhearn, R.K. (2005). Neurocognitive interventions for children and adolescents surviving cancer. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 30, 65–78.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butler, R.W., Sahler, O.J.Z., Askins, M.A., Alderfer, M.A., Katz, E.R., Phipps, S., & Noll, R.B. (2008). Interventions to improve neuropsychological functioning in childhood cancer survivors. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews 14, 251–258.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CanTeen Australia. (2011). Supporting adolescent and young adult siblings of cancer patients: The family context (Research to Practice Paper 1). Sydney, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Children's Oncology Group. (2006). Health link – Educational issues following treatment for childhood cancer. Educational Issues V 2.0–3/06. Retrieved from http://www.curesearch.org Google Scholar
Daly, B.P., & Brown, R.T. (2009). Cognitive sequelae of cancer treatment. In Weiner, L.S. & Pao, M. (Eds.), Quick reference for pediatric oncology clinicians: The psychiatric and psychological dimensions of pediatric cancer symptom management (pp. 23–28). Charlottesville, VA: IPOS Press.Google Scholar
Donnan, B.M. (2011). White paper: Educational pathways for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer. Sydney, Australia: Ronald McDonald House Charities.Google Scholar
Donnan, B.M., & Webster, T. (2013). What about school? A resource for parents of children, adolescents and young adults with cancer. Sydney, Australia: Ronald McDonald House Charities.Google Scholar
Houtzager, B.A., Grootenhuis, M.A., Hoekstra-Weebers, J.E.H.M., & Last, B.F. (2003). One month after diagnosis: Quality of life, coping and previous functioning in siblings of children with cancer. Tijdschrift Kindergeneeskunde [Dutch Journal of Pediatrics], 71, 123–133.Google Scholar
Kazak, A., & Barakat, L. (1997). Brief report: Parenting stress and quality of life during treatment for childhood leukaemia predicts child and parent adjustment after treatment ends. Journal of Paediatric Psychology, 22, 749–758.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keene, N. (Ed.). (2003). Educating the child with cancer: A guide for parents and teachers. Kensington, MD: Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation.Google Scholar
Kupst, M.J., Natta, M.B., Richardson, C.C., Schulman, J.L., Lavigne, J.V., & Das, L. (1995). Family coping with pediatric leukemia: Ten years after treatment. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 20, 601–617.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leigh, L.D., & Conklin, H.M. (2011). Educational issues for children with cancer. In Pizzo, P.A. & Pollack, D.G. (Eds.), Principles and practice of pediatric oncology (6th ed., pp. 1388–1403). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Nathan, P.C., Patel, S.K., Dilley, K., Goldsby, R., Harvey, J., Jacobsen, C., . . . Armstrong, F.D. (2007). Guidelines for identification of, advocacy for and intervention in neurocognitive problems in survivors of childhood cancer. A report from the Children's Oncology Group. Archives Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 161, 798–806.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prchal, A., & Landolt, M. A. (2009). Psychological interventions with siblings of pediatric cancer patients: A systematic review. Psycho-Oncology, 18, 1241–1251.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richards, L. (2005). Handling qualitative data: A practical guide. London: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Scheurer, M.E., Bondy, M.L., & Gurney, J.G. (2011). Epidemiology of childhood cancer. In Pizzo, P.A. & Pollack, D.G. (Eds.), Principles and practice of pediatric oncology (6th ed., pp. 2–16). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Shiu, S. (2004). Positive interventions for children with chronic illness: Parents’ and teachers’ concerns and recommendations. Australian Journal of Education, 48, 239–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Upon, P., & Eiser, C. (2005). School experiences after treatment for a brain tumour. Child Care, Health & Development, 32, 9–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waber, D.P., & Pomeroy, S.L. (2008). Introduction: Survivors of childhood cancer: the new face of developmental disabilities. Developmental Disabilities 14, 183–184.Google ScholarPubMed
Wakefield, C.E., McLoone, J., Goodenough, B., Lenthen, K., Cairns, D.R., & Cohn, R.J. (2010). The psychosocial impact of completing childhood cancer treatment: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35, 262–274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wayne, A.S. (2009). Cancers of childhood: Leukemias and lymphomas. In Weiner, L.S. & Pao, M. (Eds.), Quick reference for pediatric oncology clinicians: The psychiatric and psychological dimensions of pediatric cancer symptom management (pp. 23–28) Charlottesville, VA: IPOS Press.Google Scholar
Weiner, L. S., Hersh, S.P. & Alderfer, M.A. (2011). Psychiatric and psychosocial support for the child and family. In Pizzo, P.A. & Pollack, D.G. (Eds.), Principles and practice of pediatric oncology (6th ed., pp. 1322–1346). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar