Purpose/Objectives To assess change in specific cognitive processes during treatment with chemotherapy-only for children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Design A prospective, repeated measures design. Setting Pediatric oncology treatment centers at Banner University Medical Center Tucson/University of Arizona and Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Sample The sample included 71 children with ALL with a mean age of 6.18 years (SD ± 3.07) at the time of diagnosis. Methods Using mixed effect latent growth curve modeling with time since diagnosis as a fixed effect, age-adjusted standardized measures of working memory, processing speed, executive function and attention were obtained and repeated approximately one and two years later. A subsample was tested for academic achievement at the end of treatment. Findings There was a significant main effect for age at diagnosis on decline in verbal working memory (F=2.98, p <.05) during treatment. Planned contrasts revealed greater decline among children who were diagnosed when less than 5 years of age compared to those diagnosed 5 years and older (t=2.91, p <.01). Decline in verbal working memory and achievement in letter-word and calculation skills were associated (r=.552, p <.01; r=.434, p< .05), decline in spatial memory was associated with calculation (r= .371, p <.05). There was a main effect of gender on processing speed with females showing greater decline compared to males (F=4.14, p<.05). Implications for Nursing Children undergoing treatment for ALL may experience difficulties in verbal working memory and hence, increased difficulty in school. Nurses are in a position to refer parents and children to school resources for additional academic support.
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