The article highlights how the rapid move to online learning during COVID-19 exposed significant gaps in education support for children with chronic medical conditions and disability. Children with cancer, for example, may experience fatigue, pain, cognitive changes, sensory impairments and other treatment-related difficulties that affect their ability to participate in learning.

The authors note that many students lost existing accommodations or were unable to access appropriate support when education moved online. Among children with cancer who had special education services before the pandemic, only 35.3% reported that these supports continued during remote learning, while 57% of parents reported greater difficulty with online learning.

The authors argue that online and hybrid education will continue to be part of schooling, making it important to design learning environments that recognise the individual needs of students with chronic illness. They call for stronger collaboration between health and education professionals, earlier identification of learning barriers, appropriate referrals and greater support for families navigating education services. Teachers and education liaisons could also play a greater role within multidisciplinary care teams.

Read the full article here.