SCHOOL ISSUES
A heart condition, such as cardiomyopathy, can have some impact on a child’s academic performance at school. To ensure a safe and supportive learning environment, parents are advised to work with their child’s school to educate them on the physical and behavioral effects of cardiomyopathy. Developing an education plan, health plan, and emergency plan will ensure that your child receives the necessary modifications or accommodations to help him/her reach his/her full academic potential.
Working with the School
Fortunately, most children with cardiomyopathy do not have any cognitive issues from treatment. They may experience increased fatigue, be smaller in stature, and be more susceptible to colds and chest infections. Keeping school personnel informed will help the school respond better to your child’s needs and concerns.
Before the school year begins, parents are encouraged to schedule a meeting with their child's school administrator, grade advisor, or guidance counselor to explain their child’s condition and treatment. During this meeting, parents can discuss the implications that cardiomyopathy has on their school routine and activities. Children with more severe symptoms may require more time to get to classes or extra sets of textbooks in the classroom and at home.
It is important for your child’s school to understand that there may be more frequent doctor appointments, side effects from medications, and increased absences due to medical procedures or hospitalizations. There may also be activity restrictions, which would impact his/her participation in physical education and social interactions with other students. Because cardiac arrest is a risk factor associated with cardiomyopathy, cardiac emergency preparedness is critical. This includes having an accessible automatic external defibrillator (AED) on school premise and school staff trained in AED usage and CPR. For additional tips on working with your child’s school, click here.
If your child needs to be hospitalized during the school year, special arrangements will need to be made to cover missed classes. This might include obtaining class notes, making-up assignments and tests, arranging for a tutor, and requesting half days for the first few days following hospitalization.
School Plans
It is important to develop a cooperative relationship with school officials and teachers so that they can help your child continue to learn without obstacles and added stress. It is advisable for parents to work with the school to develop three types of plans to request school modifications and accommodations:
- Education plan
- Health plan
- Emergency plan
Modifications are changes to what is being taught or expected from a student. Accommodations are changes that help a student work around a disability. Whether your child needs modifications or accommodations will depend on disease severity, previous complications, and any hospitalizations. There may be physical and mental effects or behavioural changes in response to surgery and extended hospitalization. Usually, these are temporary responses, but if learning is impacted, you can request educational support from the school.
Each of the three school plans that should be developed serve a different purpose. Education plans provide information to school administrators about required school modifications and accommodations and how to implement them. Health plans provide information to the school nurse about your child’s diagnosis, medication schedule, physical restrictions, and emergency care and contact. Emergency plans provide school personnel with specific instructions on how to handle a cardiac emergency, including information about your child’s condition, warning signs, and emergency contacts. Once these plans are approved, your child’s teachers, school nurse, and gym instructors should be briefed.
For more information, CCF offers a Cardiomyopathy School Resource Kit with information to help educate school staff about cardiomyopathy and guide parents in obtaining accommodations and modifications for their child.