Objective: Sleep is one of the important measurements of the quality of life for children especially suffering from a chronic illness such as cancer. Our aim was to determine the changes in sleep quality and to investigate the effect of virtual reality-based exercise (VRBE) approaches on sleep in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) off treatment.Method: The participants (ALL and healthy siblings) were evaluated for sleep quality with polysomnography and “Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire” before and after 12 weeks. The study randomized into two groups: an exercise group who received VRBE in two days in a week, 45 min of each session for 12 weeks and an control group who were managed with supportive measures. The VRBE comprised of aerobic exercise in four different games by Nintendo Wii Fit Plus®.Results: This randomized controlled trial was carried out on 38 participants. Before intervention, ALL patients (n = 24) and healthy siblings (n = 14) had similar sleep quality in terms of polysomnography and Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire findings. After intervention, total time asleep (p = 0.023), respiratory disturbance index of hypopnea (p = 0.005), apnea/hypopnea index (p = 0.008), and number of apnea (p = 0.028) statistically significant improved.Significance of results: Patients with ALL off treatment had similar values of sleep quality with healthy siblings. Novel types of exercises like VRBE have positive effects on sleep disorders in children with ALL and also healthy siblings. Future studies are needed comparing the different types of interventions.

Primary malignant bone tumors are significant health concerns in children. These tumors, often accompanied by pain, fatigue, and reduced physical function, can lead to the development of kinesiophobia, a fear of movement that can further complicate rehabilitation. Although factors associated with kinesiophobia have been examined in various adult cancer populations, there is limited research on kinesiophobia and its predictors in children with bone tumors. This study aims to investigate the factors contributing to kinesiophobia in pediatric bone tumor patients. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in children with primary malignant bone tumors aged 8–17 years who actively on treatment. The Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) was used to assess fear of movement. Other assessments included the numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain, the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for fatigue, the Children Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) for depression, manual muscle testing, and the TUG Test for functionality. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of kinesiophobia, while chi-square tests examined the relationship between muscle strength and kinesiophobia levels. One hundred children with bone tumors an average age of 11.83 years participated in the study. The logistic regression model indicated that surgery status, pain levels, and fatigue were significant predictors of kinesiophobia, with an R ² value of 0.870, explaining 87% of the variance in kinesiophobia levels. Children who had surgery and were in more pain and had higher levels of depression were more likely to exhibit kinesiophobia. Conclusion: This study highlights the multifactorial nature of kinesiophobia in children with malignant bone tumors, emphasizing the roles of surgical status, pain, and psychological factors. Integrating biopsychosocial assessments and approaches into routine care may be important to reduce kinesiophobia, improve rehabilitation outcomes, and increase overall well-being. What is Known: •  Kinesiophobia has been studied in adult cancer populations and has been associated with decreased physical  activity and poorer rehabilitation outcomes. What is New: •  This study demonstrates that surgery status, pain levels, and fatigue are significant predictors of kinesiophobia in children with malignant bone tumors and highlights that, in addition to various cancer-related symptoms, kinesiophobia can also be present in this population.

Cancer-related long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease, fatigue, weight-related problems, and emotional disturbances are found to be increased in pediatric cancer survivors (PCSs). The relationship between daily living activities (DLAs) and such complications is still being investigated. Our aim in this study was to investigate the relationship between the cancer-related fatigue and DLA in PCS. Cancer-related fatigue was assessed by “PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS)” and “visual analog scale (VAS).” The DLA was evaluated by WeeFIM. There were 77 PCS (44 boys) with a mean age of 10.76 years. The mean value of fatigue scales were VAS 2.48, and MFS total score 71.14. WeeFIM total result was 118.64. While there was a statistically significant relationship between VAS fatigue score and WeeFIM total score (r=−0.387; P=0.007), there was no such correlation between WeeFIM total score with MFS total score (r=0.250; P=0.080). It is established that there is a relationship between level of fatigue and DLA. Risk factors like tumor type or treatment modalities for fatigue should be investigated in larger samples of specific survivor groups. Fatigue and its association with DLA should be screened clinically as a routine surveillance in PCS and treatment options be planned.