What Is a Cognitive Coach?
Consider a cognitive coach like a personal trainer for your child’s brain. Cognitive coaching provides one-on-one support to help children maintain and improve their brain health before, during, and after treatment for a brain tumor.
What Are Brain Games?
STRONG offers brain games and cognitive coaching as part of a research study. Brain games are online activities available during your child’s medical journey to strengthen their thinking skills. Just as physical exercise can improve your child’s physical health, the right kind of brain training may improve their brain health. If the online brain games are not suitable for your child because of their age or individual needs, we will recommend non-computerized games to strengthen their brain.
How Can Cognitive Coaching Help?
Cognitive coaching helps your child keep their brain active and STRONG during and after treatment. The cognitive coach will share brain games with you and your child to find the best program to exercise their brain. The activities are designed to help your child think faster, remember more, and stay focused.
What Will We Need for The Games?
- Online games can be done on a tablet, smartphone, or computer. STRONG will provide a tablet that you can use. The non-computerized version includes activities like word games (such as “I spy”) or specific board games.
- You and your child will have regular, virtual check-ins with the cognitive coach to track progress, answer questions, and adjust activities to best support your child’s needs.
How Long Is The Program?
Keeping your child’s brain healthy and active is an essential part of cancer treatment. Our program provides support from diagnosis through long-term survivorship. Brain games are offered for several weeks during treatment, with the option for additional booster sessions after treatment ends.
Meet Your Cognitive Coach
Dana Wanyo, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS, CLC, is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist and certified brain injury specialist with special expertise in cognitive areas such as attention, memory and executive functioning.
Contact Information
Email address: StrongProgram@KennedyKrieger.org