[Intelligence and concentration capacity in children with leukemia and their adaptation to school]

In this study we test the hypothesis that children, suffering from acute lymphatic leukaemia (ALL) have more concentration problems, a lower intellectual capacity and more adjustment problems at school. The study deals only with those children whose ALL had been diagnosed at least three years before. Standardized tests have been given to fourteen children (aged 6-12), being treated or checked by the Children's Oncology Center of Amsterdam. Teachers were given a questionnaire and a written interview. Parents were interviewed orally. Scores on tests and questionnaire were compared with scores from norm groups. The study's most important results are: these children with ALL have a low concentration capacity, some adjustment problems at school (withdrawn behavior), but intellectually they don't function at a lower level.