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BACK TO SCHOOL: Ten Tips for Parents to Prep Their Students with Arthritis for School
Columbia, MO. (August 19, 2005) - With the start of another school year, every parent of a student with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) needs to examine the child's needs and the school's readiness to meet them.
The Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) offers the following tips for parents to make the return to school easier and to safeguard their child's health:
1.Tell the teacher what to expect - Inform the teacher about the disease in general and the child's specific condition. Establish a plan of action for the various amounts of pain your child may be experiencing - that will increase your child's academic success, comfort and safety and will help minimize his/her absences.
2.Check the school environment in advance - If your child will be in a different school or school environment, explore the new setting. Do a walk-through with your child examining access to classrooms and lockers, moving from building to building, how much time it takes to cover the distances, restrooms, lunchroom, playground, etc. It's best to examine these factors before the first day of class or in the very beginning of the school year to allow time for problem solving.
3. Get a rolling backpack - Carrying a traditional backpack will stress the body and strain the energy of a student with JRA, so it's desirable to get a rolling one which would take the pressure off the student's back.
4. Get good writing tools - Wide diameter writing tools are essential for relieving pressure off the joints. Consider commercially available enlarged grip holders for pencils, pens, and crayons to make it easier for your child to hold and guide those tools. The grips will usually slide over the standard writing instrument. There are also pens and pencils available with enlarged soft grips.
5. Have two sets of books - Carrying around books all day long can be vexing for a student with JRA, so a better approach is to have one set of books at home and another one in the classroom. Consider setting up a "buddy system" with the teacher where other students assist in carrying the books.
6. Check school desks - Proper posture is vital for students with JRA and parents should inspect the school desks at the beginning of the school year. Evaluate the desks and chairs for providing adequate support of the spine especially the lumbar area and that the desk/table height is at elbow or below height to avoid having raised or splayed arms when using it.
7. Record or type notes - Extensive note taking by hand can be tiresome and harmful for the hands of students with JRA. What is more, due to fatigue and pain, the student may not be able to keep up with the teacher and his/her academic success may also be in danger. If this is a difficult area for your child, consider requesting an assistive technology evaluation.
8. Manage school bus issues - Try to minimize the student's wait for the school bus, especially in cold and damp weather when the affected joints may feel worse than usual. Check the bus to make sure your child has easy access to it and talk with the driver about accommodating your child's special needs.
9. Get moving - Children with arthritis should exercise regularly, but should avoid high impact exercise and weight lifting. Parents should ask about alternate or modified lesson plans with the teacher that will accommodate the student's physical condition, especially during a flare-up.
10. Demand excellence - Let the teachers know that they shouldn't lower their expectations from your child just because he/she has arthritis. JRA causes pain and fatigue but does not affect cognitive abilities. A teacher who challenges and encourages your child will build his/her confidence and self-esteem and help him/her fit in better.
If you identify problem areas that would require changes in the environment or physical setting, you might consider requesting appropriate accommodations as identified in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Discuss this with the school administration.
A variety of arthritis experts are available to discuss the above tips and other ideas for a good start of the school year. Experts include:
Diana Baldwin, OTR, MARRTC expert in arthritis ergonomics.
Margaret Lindsey, RN, director of the Southwest Regional Arthritis Center at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, who works with children with arthritis on a regional level.
Beth Richards, CTRS, manager of Missouri Arthritis & Osteoporosis Program and expert in Missouri state arthritis outreach programs and resources.
The Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions.
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