When children are hospitalized for a long period with a serious illness, missing out on school and playing with other kids can have a big impact on their development.
To help such children acquire age-appropriate social skills as well as formal education, many medical facilities in Japan have begun establishing teams of specialists like nursery teachers and clinical psychologists to work together with doctors and nurses.
At a Tokyo hospital operated by the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, head of pediatrics Hiroyuki Shichino said it is not unusual for child patients suffering from cancer, for example, to be hospitalized for months and sometimes even years.