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Pediatric Long-term Follow-Up Program

About the Clinic

The Long-term Follow-up Clinic helps to prepare families to anticipate concerns ranging from learning disabilities to infertility. We know that the earlier these problems are identified and treated, the better these children will fare.

A multidisciplinary approach

When families are referred to the Long-term Follow-up Clinic three to five years after cancer treatment ends, they meet with a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including Leonard; social worker Peg Woehrle, M.S.W.; child psychologist Catherine Peterson, Ph.D.; dietitian Nancy Burke, R.D.; and potentially an on-call physician.

These visits are important because they can ferret out problems that may not be obvious. Each family or young adult receives a treatment summary including all chemotherapy drugs and doses, radiation port and dose and surgical treatments. More importantly, a care plan specific to the needs of each child is developed. The plan takes into account the child's age, the known risks associated with specific treatments the child received and the individual needs of the child and family.

Going beyond medical complications

Beyond possible medical complications, clinic staff members help educate families about the psycho-social impacts of cancer: the long-range effect on siblings; the difficulties in maintaining reasonably priced health insurance after a childhood cancer survivor turns 21; the impact of indulging a child's every wish -- or of letting them slack off in school -- because of a cancer diagnosis.

Academics

Academics are a focal point for the Long-term Follow-up Clinic, particularly if chemotherapy was administered directly into the spinal fluid or if cranial radiation was part of a child's treatment. School-age children are evaluated to determine whether a child is having problems with cognitive functioning as a result of treatment. This will help parents work with school teachers to develop individualized education plans to help the child succeed in class.

What to Expect

When meeting with the Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic, patients and families can expect to receive:

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View a list of the medical staff - (note: this link opens onto the UMHS website).

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