HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE FOLLOWING ALLOGENEIC HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

Bhatia M, Kolva E, Cimini L, Jin Z, Satwani P, Savone M, George D, Garvin J, Paz ML, Briamonte C, Cruz-Arrieta E, Sands S.

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2015 Apr;21(4):666-72. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.12.007. Epub 2015 Jan 2.

PMID: 25559691 [Pubmed]

CARING FOR THE LATINO YOUNG ADULT: A CASE STUDY OF BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES IN THE DELIVERY OF CULTURALLY-COMPETENT CARE. [SIOP 2012 Publication Abstracts, p. 88]

Purpose: To illustrate, via a case study, the challenges of providing high quality care to a 22 year-old, U.S. born, Hispanic male of Mexican descent, monolingual Spanish-speaker with low literacy, treated for HR pre-B ALL w/CNS involvement, s/p 10 MUD PBSCT; chronic GVHD, and AVN. Interdisciplinary (bmt, child life, oncology, neurology, nursing, psychology, psychology, rehabilitation therapy, social work) collaborations in treatment planning design and implementation will be reviewed in the bio-psychosocial context of this patient, as he continues to work towards a permanent cure and complete rehabilitation, while re-establishing survivor’s short and long term personal goals.

PILL SWALLOWING TRAINING: A brief pediatric oncology report.

Primary Psychology 2008 ;15(7):49-53 Jul 

The use of behavioral techniques such as shaping and differential attention used to teach children >=18 months of age how to swallow pills is well documented. However, there is a lack of data on the capacity of children of various ages to ingest pills. Pediatric cancer patients as young as 3 years of age must learn to take pills in order to benefit from alternative treatments for their conditions due to difficulties in drinking liquid formulations or requiring medication only available in pill form. Parents are trained on how to hide medication in foods, but they are not coached on how to teach their children to take pills. The stress of pediatric cancer and its effect on caregivers makes this, a priority. This article provides guidelines on how to do this.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE: The Stephen D. Hassenfeld model.

CRUZ-ARRIETA, EDUVIGIS; Weinshank, Lauryn

Primary Psychology 2008 ;15(7) :63-67 Jul

Scientific advances that lead to early detection and treatment of childhood illnesses once fatal to most children have contributed to higher survival rates. This article outlines a model used at the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders for providing outpatient cancer and hematology treatments facilitated and supported by allied health professionals. Coping is sometimes compromised by biopsychosocial factors present in the lives of patients prior to illness. Allied health professionals help patients and families cope by providing a supportive environment for the child with a chronic illness and his or her family. A multidisciplinary team approach is illustrated in this article. The authors describe the process of creating a pathway toward holistic care for all patients, from designing tools that integrate basic information about each patient ‘in context’ to how this is accomplished. Two case examples of collaboration between disciplines are provided. Finally, ideas on the need for research that demonstrates the benefits of psychosocial interventions and the need for dissemination of information about what works within the pediatric, allied health, and mental health professions are offered. .