Community Resource Project
Chronic Illness of a Family Member or Student
" I think illness is a family journey no matter what the outcome. Everybody has to be allowed to process it and mourn and deal with it in their own way."
-Marcia Wallace ( Grant, p. 177)
What are you to do as a teacher if you are faced with a chronically ill student or a family member of one of your students is chronically ill? How do you support your student, the family, and their classmates?
Research shows that 10 to 15% of American children are affected by chronic illnesses. These illnesses can range from asthma, diabetes, allergies, epilepsy, and cancer. In my twins class they had 2 children who suffered from chronic illness and both eventually passed away. One had neuroblastoma and the other had cystic fibrosis.
As suggested by Grant, the most effective way to handle a situation of a child with a chronic illness is to work with a varied and comprehensive team approach. This team should include the student, family members, other teachers, school nurse and counselor, and the child's own doctors. Sina's article discusses 7 strategies to help students with chronic medical conditions. The first thing she states is to educate yourself about the illnesses, create an in-school team, treat a child who's ill the same as all students, create a positive culture, work with organizations, team up with parents, and host educational programs. Creating a supportive environment for the child, his/her family, and his/her classmates will benefit everyone.
