Abstract
Brain tumors can cause cognitive and neuropsychological problems that can affect single or multiple functions. Unlike other tumors, they do not only impair a child's normal functional growth but also the brain's structural development. As a result, they can damage the organic substrate of a number of neuropsychological and cognitive functions as the child has not yet developed the basic functions that are a necessary prerequisite for any further growth. Literature widely reports on the cognitive and neuropsychological problems arising in children with medulloblastoma as a result of the multi-modal therapeutic approach (surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy). At the Acquired Brain Injury Unit of the Scientific Institute E. Medea in Bosisio Parini, we collected data about radiation doses delivered and longitudinal changes in IQ in children treated with different radiotherapy schedules for medulloblastoma. In addition we tried to investigate the relationship between the quality of parent-child communication about the brain tumor, along with treatment and its outcome, and the type of psychological problems observed. Another research, aiming at verifying whether a communication support tool for parents improves communication with their children, favoring a more functional awareness of the disease as well as a better psychological outcome in children was carried out, too. This chapter summarizes the results of all these studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Medulloblastoma Book |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 217-222 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781631171918, 9781631171901 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 1 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)