Neurocognitive+Toxicities+-+Childhood+Cancer+Survivors

When the term "learning disability" is used most people think of a child with problem learning, identify with the term ADHD, or even think of someone slow. How about when you hear the term cancer survivor, immediately you associate with a person who has won the battle; except instead of associating this term with an adult think of the child who has survived the rigors of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Our educational system has not prepared for this new classification of children who at one time may have been a student who excelled in a subject matter, enjoyed reading and an outstanding athlete. Advances in early diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancers have led to dramatic increases in survival rates. (Moore) Also the advances in cancer therapies have resulted in improved response rates and cure rates, doctors are becoming aware and concerned of the effect on the Central Nervous System (CNS).

There are few articles about the childhood cancer survivor and the neurocognitive outcome. Today, doctors are helping these survivors to get assistance in returning to academic life with Neuropsychological Evaluations. The attempt to get documentation and assistance is primarily because following cancer treatments many patients have some impairment and show symptoms associates with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), impaired concentration and sustained attention (Brouwers, Riccardi, Poplack, & Fedio, 1984).

Through the use of Web 2.0 these survivors can remain in their respective grade level and in time return to an active classroom environment. Most hospitals and clinics have access to both laptops and Internet thus allowing tools such as Blogs and Google Docs to aid these students. Through the use of Blogs a severely ill child can convey thoughts about a book assignment, give bulleted and/or brief character descriptions, or even describe a process in science. Together, schools, learning centers at hospitals and clinics are trying to coordinate their efforts with volunteers and parents to keep these children within the school environment. Best of all these newer tools are free and available within the "cloud environment." There may be barriers such as time, ability to use the laptop computer but with the aid of volunteers and friends these children can and are getting the job done! They have the will to try and will do what it takes to return.

It is important that all aspects of our education learn about how this new group has joined the ADHD diagnosis and strive harder to place web 2.0 tools in the classroom.

Resources: [] [|www.jpepsy.oxfordjournals.org] []