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Together is a new resource for anyone affected by pediatric cancer - patients and their parents, family members, and friends.
Learn MoreParents of childhood cancer patients and survivors have been faced with many challenges and questions during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind is …
“Is it safe to send my child back to school?”
There is not a blanket answer for all childhood cancer patients and survivors. Each child’s situation is different.
For the most part, school systems around the country have presented their plans for the return to school. In general, families may have the following options for their children:
Each option has risks and benefits.
You are encouraged to talk to your child’s care team to understand possible risks. Your care team may not be able to draw conclusions about the risk of infection in your home community. Community risk varies almost from week to week and certainly from state to state or even county to county.
In making the decision about whether your child should return to school, there are several factors to consider.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a school decision-making tool that you may find helpful. It includes detailed information and questionnaires that can help you weigh the benefits and risks of each choice.
It depends on what medications your child is taking and your child’s current medical status. It’s important that your child feel well enough to go to school and that his or her immune system is strong enough.
The immune system protects the body from infection. A weakened immune system cannot defend the body against viruses such as the coronavirus as effectively as a healthy immune system. It is possible that children with weakened immune systems may develop more severe illness and could be infected with the virus for a longer period.
In general, most children either have a mild form of disease or they don’t develop any symptoms (known as being asymptomatic). But they could spread the disease to adults in the school, their family, and in the community. When schools reopen, it is believed the number of COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 related hospitalizations will increase.
This is particularly a problem if someone in your home has risk factors for serious complications such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, or being an older adult.
For the most part, pediatric cancer patients who have had COVID-19 have fared well overall.
There is little doubt that attending school in person is generally the preferred mode of learning. School attendance is fundamental to a child’s overall development, influencing not only academic learning but social and emotional skills.
Often schools provide mental health treatment, speech and physical therapy, and necessary nutrition. Parents must weigh the risks versus the benefits of school attendance.
The emotional, psychological, and developmental toll that this pandemic has put on children should not be underestimated. It is a hard decision that should consider the risks versus benefits of whether to send kids to school or not.
The CDC recommends:
Talk with your school to understand what precautions it is taking such as frequent cleaning of high-use areas and regular temperature checks of students and employees.
A parent or other responsible adult must be with your child at home if they are 12 years old or younger, and this is recommended for young teens as well. That may not be possible in all families because parents may need to work outside the home. You must have a reliable internet connection and device for learning. This is challenging in many parts of the country.
While cancer survivors have not been placed in a higher risk group, the late effects of treatment on multiple body systems can place the survivor at risk. High-risk conditions could include, according to the CDC:
Federal law provides for Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans, which allow for classroom accommodations and extra support for public school students with learning challenges and disabilities. Many childhood cancer patients and survivors qualify for these services because of their disease and the side effects of treatment.
However, the laws do not specifically address what happens if schools close due to a pandemic. Parents are encouraged to work collaboratively with the school team to meet your child’s educational needs during this time.
Some important information to know about public schools:
If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s academic supports or progress, please contact an academic coordinator or school liaison at your treatment center.
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Reviewed: July 2020