Introduction
New medical treatments and advanced technologies has helped improved the prognosis of most cancers. This has led to change of perception as regards to equating cancer to death. Cancer and blood disorder is a common occurrence. Although there are reduced mortality rate, the effects and complications of treatment has contributed to some forms of burdens in managing such affected children.
Research has shown that children with cancer who are survivors had lower educational attainment compared to their peers (Lancashire et al, 2009). Those children who are usually classified as orthopedically impaired under health laws usually have various forms of academic difficulties that will require provision of special education program for them. The most common cancers and blood disorders that usually affect children include; lymphomas, leukemia and brain tumors, bone tumors, and neuroblastoma. Lymphomas, leukemia and brain tumors are up to 60 percent of the experienced cases.
The issues are related to physical, emotional, cognitive, psychosocial problems, all which affect the child's development and educational process. Cognitive consequences seem to affect the educational process more compared to other effects because it tend to affect the child's writing abilities, spelling problems, memory issues (especially short term memory), reading and comprehension, and attention deficiencies. The issue in the management is the time from school, loss of energy, complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy instituted to cure the disorder.
Transition back to school remains a challenging aspect after the treatment of those medical conditions. The teacher has an important role to play. The teacher must be aware of the condition, the associated symptoms, complications, and prognosis. He or she should also be aware the effects of the disease on the child learning abilities to offer additional help for the child. The teacher can facilitate classmate support, which can visit the child and encourage him or her.
IEP programs will be instituted to help the child. This will include; providing extended time for teaching and explanation, or exam purposes. Teaching with some form of visual aids will help with any form of impairment with the hearing. School psychologist will also be provided for the child to help with the psychosocial defect so that the child can cope with the school settings and demands.
References
Lancashire et al, (2009). Educational Attainment Among Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer in Great Britain: A Population-Based Cohort Study. Oxford Journals. Retrieved 19 November, 2011 from http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/102/4/254.full
Labourmobility.com, (2011). Childhood cancer and its impact on education. Retrieved 19 November, 2011 from http://www.labourmobility.com/childhood-cancer-and-its-impact-on-education/
