I last wrote about preparing for the school year and being unable to attend school, but there are those families faced with preparing an extremely ill child for the classroom. This is a task at hand that involves not only the school, teachers, and parents, it will include preparation of the other students and the ill child as well. When you have an ill child who needs and wants to be in the classroom but has many problems to take with him or her, you must prepare long in advance. Speak with the principal, teachers, and social workers to help the transition be as smooth and uneventful as possible. Whether it be medication breaks, treatments, walkers, wheelchairs, equipment, etc., the more people involved in preparing the student, as well as the fellow students, will bring a calm throughout the school year. Another thing to consider would be to have one of the medical professionals (doctor, nurse, social worker, etc.) who work with you child, come to the school to visit with the other students to help them to understand what the ill childs needs are, what the disease is about, and allow them to ask questions in a safe evenironment and receive accurate information.
It is important to remember that knowledge about the situation can help to prevent negative reactions and treatment of others. You never know if you may need help someday in your life and an understanding of others needs should begin early in life. My son, as a child, always had a soft spot for fellow students who had an aliment or disability. I taught him very early on that making fun of someone different will only make them feel bad and that if they did that to you, how would that make you feel. It must have made an impact in his life since he seemed to always try to help the underdog and has graduated from college and loves working with children with disabilities. I hope this gift I implanted follows him throughout life, although I am certain it will. Good luck with your tasks and please share your stories with us. We look forward to hearing from you.
