article on kids and chronic illness

[Guest guest]

  February 26, 2003, Wednesday

HEADLINE: Coping with chronic ills

    A CHRONIC illness is a condition that persists for more than three months

a

year or requires continuous hospitalisation for more than a month.

   Commonly identified chronic illnesses include asthma, diabetes, cancer,

leukemia, cystic fibrosis and epilepsy.

   Many children with a chronic condition have regular absences from school.

They often worry about catching up with schoolwork and falling behind

academically.

   A child may experience social and emotional anxiety about peer acceptance

and

be frightened of having a medical emergency at school.

   Parents need to be reassured that their child's health and wellbeing is

acknowledged and well managed in the school system. It is therefore important

that teachers have the knowledge and skills to manage and support chronically

ill children.

   Every child is unique and treatments for similar conditions can vary, so

it

is vital schools have accurate information on specific treatment regimens

from

medical professionals.

   Effective teaching support delivered within a caring, accepting and

informed

school community will greatly enhance the health and wellbeing of a student

with

a chronic illness.

   Students who have regular or prolonged absences from school need to have

their educational progress closely monitored, be provided with additional

support to catch up where necessary and be closely supervised on return to

school.

   Teachers need information about different chronic illnesses and must be

trained in handling a medical emergency. Familiarity with treatments and

their

effects on student performance and behaviour helps teachers understand and

recognise potential medical problems.

   This knowledge can also help alleviate parental fears that children won't

follow their treatment at school for fear of drawing attention to themselves.

   All parents play a vital role in helping their children learn that

although

other children may be different, they too are very special and worthy of

friendship.

   Teachers must facilitate understanding among peers while balancing the

student's wishes for privacy.

   Many students with chronic illness are often lonely and can be the targets

for teasing and bullying at school.

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