Condition
Cancer Care
Pediatric cancer rehabilitation focuses on addressing the physical, emotional, and functional needs of children undergoing cancer treatment or in remission. It includes various interventions to improve quality of life and promote recovery, such as:
Physical Therapy
Helps children regain strength, mobility, and function after cancer treatment, addressing issues like muscle weakness, balance, and coordination.
Occupational Therapy
Assists children in developing skills needed for daily activities, such as self-care, school tasks, and play, despite any physical limitations or cognitive changes caused by cancer.
Speech Therapy
Supports children in maintaining or improving speech, language, and swallowing abilities affected by cancer treatment.
Psychosocial Support
Provides emotional and psychological support to children and their families, helping them cope with the challenges of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
Pain Management
Addresses pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment through various techniques, including medications, physical modalities, and psychological interventions.
Educational Support
Ensures continuity of education during treatment and helps children reintegrate into school after treatment, addressing any learning difficulties or cognitive impairments.
Nutritional Support
Offers guidance on maintaining adequate nutrition during cancer treatment and managing any nutrition-related side effects.
Overall, pediatric cancer rehabilitation aims to optimize the physical, emotional, and social well-being of children affected by cancer, helping them lead fulfilling lives during and after treatment.
The appropriate rehabilitation treatment strategy will vary depending on a child’s tumour, treatments, and prognosis. Rehabilitative management strategies may require dynamic problem solving as a child age and grows, even into adulthood.
It defines goals across four types of interventions: preventative, restorative, supportive, and palliative. For example, a child who has received curative treatment may benefit primarily from preventative and restorative interventions, whereas one with terminal disease would be more appropriate for supportive and palliative management.
Physical Therapy
Helps children regain strength, mobility, and function after cancer treatment, addressing issues like muscle weakness, balance, and coordination.
Occupational Therapy
Assists children in developing skills needed for daily activities, such as self-care, school tasks, and play, despite any physical limitations or cognitive changes caused by cancer.
Speech Therapy
Supports children in maintaining or improving speech, language, and swallowing abilities affected by cancer treatment.
Psychosocial Support
Provides emotional and psychological support to children and their families, helping them cope with the challenges of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
Pain Management
Addresses pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment through various techniques, including medications, physical modalities, and psychological interventions.
Educational Support
Ensures continuity of education during treatment and helps children reintegrate into school after treatment, addressing any learning difficulties or cognitive impairments.
Nutritional Support
Offers guidance on maintaining adequate nutrition during cancer treatment and managing any nutrition-related side effects.
Overall, pediatric cancer rehabilitation aims to optimize the physical, emotional, and social well-being of children affected by cancer, helping them lead fulfilling lives during and after treatment.
The appropriate rehabilitation treatment strategy will vary depending on a child’s tumour, treatments, and prognosis. Rehabilitative management strategies may require dynamic problem solving as a child age and grows, even into adulthood.
It defines goals across four types of interventions: preventative, restorative, supportive, and palliative. For example, a child who has received curative treatment may benefit primarily from preventative and restorative interventions, whereas one with terminal disease would be more appropriate for supportive and palliative management.
Preventing immobility-related complications is of paramount importance. Children should also be screened for attainment of age-appropriate developmental milestones, and their cognitive, psychological, and social/emotional well-being should be optimized.
Members of rehabilitation team (including physiatrists; physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapists; child life specialists; psychologists, social workers, and case managers) need to work together and communicate with oncology teams to create the most appropriate and uniform rehabilitation plan.