OBJECTIVE: To examine educational achievement and vocational success of children with SCI. DESIGN: Surveys administered to students and teachers, and content analysis of school records. SETTING: Regional pediatric rehabilitation program. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were selected from 144 children with SCI treated from 1979 through 1992; 98 met inclusion criteria of onset of SCI before the age of 18 years, older than 3 years, residual paresis, and no cognitive impairment; 29% were lost to follow-up, and 53 of the 70 contacted were enrolled. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: School completion rates, absenteeism, grades, ratings of participation; education and living situations after high school; history of paid employment. RESULTS: The 53 responders were: 33 boys, 20 girls; 25 with paraplegia (47%), 28 with tetraplegia (53%); mean length of disability = 9.4 years; 12 primary students (23%), 19 secondary students (36%), and 22 postsecondary participants (41%). Students and teachers rated student participation and performance as average or above compared to peers; 84% of secondary students planned to attend college after graduation. Only 33% of high school students over age 15 had been employed. Ninety-one percent of postsecondary subjects had graduated from high school. Seven (32%) had graduated from college or a vocational program, 11 (50%) were enrolled in college full- or part-time, and 4 others (18%) were neither in school nor employed. Current employment rates were 71% of college graduates, 36% of those in college, and 0% of those who had never enrolled. Level of SCI was not related to employment. CONCLUSIONS: Students with SCI demonstrate adequate participation and performance in educational settings, but may benefit from more vocational counseling and opportunities for paid employment.
OBJECTIVE: To examine educational achievement and vocational success of children with SCI. DESIGN: Surveys administered to students and teachers, and content analysis of school records. SETTING: Regional pediatric rehabilitation program. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were selected from 144 children with SCI treated from 1979 through 1992; 98 met inclusion criteria of onset of SCI before the age of 18 years, older than 3 years, residual paresis, and no cognitive impairment; 29% were lost to follow-up, and 53 of the 70 contacted were enrolled. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: School completion rates, absenteeism, grades, ratings of participation; education and living situations after high school; history of paid employment. RESULTS: The 53 responders were: 33 boys, 20 girls; 25 with paraplegia (47%), 28 with tetraplegia (53%); mean length of disability = 9.4 years; 12 primary students (23%), 19 secondary students (36%), and 22 postsecondary participants (41%). Students and teachers rated student participation and performance as average or above compared to peers; 84% of secondary students planned to attend college after graduation. Only 33% of high school students over age 15 had been employed. Ninety-one percent of postsecondary subjects had graduated from high school. Seven (32%) had graduated from college or a vocational program, 11 (50%) were enrolled in college full- or part-time, and 4 others (18%) were neither in school nor employed. Current employment rates were 71% of college graduates, 36% of those in college, and 0% of those who had never enrolled. Level of SCI was not related to employment. CONCLUSIONS: Students with SCI demonstrate adequate participation and performance in educational settings, but may benefit from more vocational counseling and opportunities for paid employment.
Authors: Joan Carney; Rhona Fisher; Marika Augutis; Susan Charlifue; Fin Biering-Sørensen; Wiebke Höfers; Miriam Hwang; Peter Wayne New; Marcel Post; Cristina Sadowsky; Lawrence Vogel; Lilly Augustine; Kathryn Dent; M J Mulcahey Journal: Spinal Cord Ser Cases Date: 2019-10-21
Authors: Gabi Zeilig; Harold Weingarden; Yeheskel Shemesh; Amir Herman; Michael Heim; Manual Zeweker; Israel Dudkiewicz Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2012-01 Impact factor: 1.985