Need for a Standard Approach to Service Delivery and Educational Opportunities in Pediatric Cancer Rehabilitation

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations.

Rehabilitation practitioners (N = 98) indicate it is very important to have specialized therapists and programs for pediatric cancer rehabilitation, yet only 39% of hospitals have a specialized program. Therapists rarely receive education during academic or clinical training on working with children with cancer, resulting in a lack of consistency in services provided across institutions. A pediatric cancer rehabilitation certification program can help promote an evidence-based standard of care.

Primary Author and Speaker: Molly Houdeshell

Additional Authors and Speakers: Natalie Haffner

Contributing Authors: Taniya Easow Varughese, Allison King, and Allison J L'Hotta

Activity Engagement Among Infants and Toddlers With Developmental Disabilities: Rasch Analysis of the Infant Toddler Activity Card Sort (ITACS)

Date Presented 04/9/21

Development in the first years of life is often characterized by a child’s aptitude to complete discrete tasks, such as walking or stacking blocks. True participation requires the child to incorporate skills into everyday activities. This presentation will provide an overview of the Infant Toddler Activity Card Sort, the initial psychometrics, and a Rasch analysis.

Primary Author and Speaker: Catherine R. Hoyt

Contributing Authors: Ching-Fan Sheu

Cognition and Quality of Life Among Survivors of Pediatric Non-CNS Cancers Receiving Ototoxic Therapy

Date Presented 04/13/21

Children with cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy are at risk for developing hearing impairment (HI), one of several late effects associated with treatment. HI is associated with decreased socioemotional development, academic performance, and quality of life (QOL) among survivors of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. This is the first study to examine the impact of ototoxic HI on cognition and QOL among a cohort of survivors of pediatric non-CNS cancers.

Primary Author and Speaker: Taniya Easow Varughese