Mary’s Story

Mary was an 8-year-old girl, newly diagnosed with a pineoblastoma and associated hydrocephalus who had just undergone a surgical resection to remove the tumor from the pineal gland of her brain. Most children who undergo this type of surgery encounter a variety of side effects, including ones that affect both motor and mental functions. Neuropsychologist Dr. Kate McGee (whose position is funded by Making Headway) was asked to consult with the family due to concerns regarding her language, processing, and communication following her surgery.
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Through an assessment battery which was individually-tailored to account for Mary’s hearing loss, Dr. McGee was able to discern that she was, in fact, cognitively intact and did not have cognitive or expressive language deficits, despite initial concerns to the contrary. In fact, Mary was very bright, with important areas of neurocognitive strength that were being masked by her newly acquired hearing deficits. Furthermore, in attempting to compensate for her hearing loss, Mary was relying entirely on alternative strategies for communication. Dr. McGee’s consultation helped to inform Mary’s physical, occupational, and speech and language therapies, highlighting that in order to communicate effectively, Mary required direct eye contact to enhance her ability for lip reading. Thereafter, Mary was far better able to communicate interpersonally and express her needs with both her treatment team and her parents.

Fortunately, as her medical situation stabilized, discussion was able to shift to her return to school and associated educational needs in the context of her medical history and hearing impairment. Educational Coordinator at Hassenfeld, Julia Gomez, met with Mary’s family and communicated with her school to ensure appropriate support and accommodations were put in place in anticipation of her return to the classroom. With the support of Making Headway and the NYU Hassenfeld Center, Mary’s future looks bright.