For little ones, the transition to elementary school can be an exciting change, but for children with cystic fibrosis (CF), new routines can be especially overwhelming. Remember entering a school full of new friends, teachers, and experiences for the first time? It’s only natural for you or your loved one to feel a bit nervous, but when that first bell rings, they’ll be having fun in no time at all. Here are some tips to make your loved ones’ first day of school an unforgettable one!
Talk about CF with your loved one
As your child makes their way through elementary school, further questions about their CF diagnosis will begin to emerge. These questions might seem simple at first, but over time, they might start to catch you off guard! Whether your loved one notices that other children at school don’t do treatments, or they start to get asked questions by curious classmates, helping them to understand more about their diagnosis and the importance of avoiding germs, eating right, and doing treatments can go a long way.
Here are a few tips to help you navigate the changes you may see during this time:
Help your child learn what causes CF and the importance of knowing about their disease and their genotype
Begin to teach your child about how CF impacts the body
Encourage your child to participate more actively in their care. You can start by allowing them to take medicines and do vest therapy on their own while you observe
Help your child learn why it is important to perform airway clearance techniques
Talk to them about Spirometry Tests, which help to monitor lung function, check for pulmonary exacerbations, and show how they are responding to treatments
It’s good to have these conversations early and often to help prepare your loved one to take on more responsibility in the future.
Meet with school employees
Meet with school employees
As a caregiver, you want your loved one to be safe and cared for at school. So, as you begin to feel more comfortable, talk with the teacher and school nurse about CF and what it means for your child.
Talk about classroom illnesses. Let the teacher know that your child may get sick more easily if others are sick, so it’s important for you to know about any illnesses going around. You may also want to discuss the importance of frequent hand washing as a way to minimize the risk of infection for your child.
Set expectations. Let the teacher know if your child needs any accommodations, such as carrying tissues or a water bottle, leaving a few minutes early for lunch to pick up medicine from the nurse’s office, or having more frequent bathroom breaks.
Work with the school nurse. Develop a plan for how your child will take medications during the school day, if necessary, and where the medications will be kept.
Direct them to resources. Help your child’s teacher and other school staff members better understand CF by sharing this guide with them at the start of the school year.
It may make your child more comfortable on the first day of school if he or she has met the teacher and school nurse beforehand.
Get academic assistance
If your child needs extra assistance in school, there are a few different programs that could help. Here are some examples:
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A school 504 plan provides academic accommodations for children with disabilities. It can help your child get access to their learning environment and help set them up for academic success
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An individualized education plan (IEP) provides special education and related services that meet the unique needs of the child
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Set your child up for a
successful year back at
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Set your child up for
a successful year back
at school with
this checklist
