For a student with juvenile arthritis, September’s approach means so much more than new school supplies and new friends. Back to school might require some special preparation for your new teachers, care providers, coaches, and more. Despite being such a common condition in children, many teachers are still unaware that kids can get arthritis and most will have had limited, if any, experience teaching children with this disease. We’re here to help.
As such, we suggest you set up a meeting with your teacher(s)/Principal within the first couple of weeks of the school year. Depending on your age and how severe your disease, what you choose to discuss may differ! Either way, it is good idea to prepare teachers and school staff in advance if accommodations need to be made. An open line of communication will be important for your child’s success during the school year.
Along with our school letter templates below, our friends at SickKids have put together some important advice for talking to your teacher including what they should know and other resources in the school that you may have access to. Youth can also learn more about managing their symptoms, lifestyle and transition to adult care with the Teens Taking Charge learning modules created by About Kids Health.
Customizable Letters
The following School Resource Toolkit has been designed to increase awareness of Juvenile Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases in school, and help parents and teens communicate their needs to teachers. These resources for students, parents and teachers will help kids and teens get back to what’s important at school – learning and having fun!
It is important to have open and clear communication with your child’s educator about his/her juvenile arthritis or other rheumatic disease. To help you get started, we’ve created customizable template letters for you to easily communicate your child’s arthritis symptoms and accommodations with school staff/coaches. Communicating symptoms and accommodations in advance will help both your child and their teacher respond proactively to situations when modifications are needed.
Just fill in the blanks, personalize the letter with information specific to your child, and start the conversation today!
As a parent, in addition to scheduling a meeting with your child’s teacher(s) you may find it useful to write a letter to them, outlining your child’s condition and what classroom adaptations they may need.
Not sure where to start? Use our template letter, adapting it to fit your child’s specific needs.
It can be difficult talking to your (or your child’s) educators about the challenges faced in school due to Juvenile Arthritis and rheumatic disease.
This checklist, presented by Occupational Therapist Heather Best at Cassie and Friends 2018 BC Family Day, is designed to assist parents or teens, in consultation with their Pediatric Rheumatology care team, to communicate a student’s rheumatic disease school challenges and recommendations to their educators.
Some topics we suggest as important to cover include:
- What joints are affected and how the joint pain or stiffness may limit performance in school work or participation in classes such as physical education. Try to emphasize that symptoms may fluctuate over the course of the day, week or month.
- Which medications your child is taking and the side effects they experience as a result.
- Expectation of absences due to doctors appointments and late arrivals due to morning stiffness.
- Asking the teachers to report any symptoms that they observe during the school day
- Awareness of sadness or embarrassment as a result of your child being “different” from their peers.
Based on our experience, most people don’t know that kids and teens get arthritis and we’re here to help change that! Our new Juvenile Arthritis Classroom Presentation gives you an easy and fun opportunity to educate classmates and teachers about juvenile arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
From, ” I thought that disease was for old people,” to “You don’t look like you’re in pain…”, we are here to help break down the myths and raise awareness of this chronic disease affecting over 24,000 Canadian youth. Educating others on juvenile arthritis is an empowering experience where you can share what it feels like to have a chronic condition, and teach peers to become more understanding and aware of invisible illnesses.
Ready to teach others about juvenile arthritis? Here’s how to get started!
- Email us to let us know you are interested in sharing the presentation in the classroom.
- We’ll send you the presentation, presenter notes and a few extra pointers to keep the audience engaged.
- Practice makes perfect!
- Once you’ve completed the presentation, tell us how it went and we’ll send you a Cassie + Friends hat in return!
Scholarship Opportunities
Eligibility and To Apply: https://www.lupuscanada.org/lupus-canadascholarship-program
UCB Canada Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative treatments for inflammatory arthritis diseases, such as: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis. UCB Canada Inc. is dedicated to creating unique programs and tools to aid patients in reaching above and beyond the boundaries of their disease and fulfilling their educational ambitions. Now in its tenth year, the UCBeyond Scholarship Program has allocated 152 scholarships and approximately $765,000 CDN to Canadian students.
Eligibility and to apply by June 18th, 2021: http://www.ucbeyond.ca/about.html
The Dr. Bonnie Cameron Post-Secondary Scholarship program is in its fourth year and hopes to assist in allowing students living with arthritis to achieve their educational goals. It is presented by Runanthropic.org because of the inspiring work and dedication of Dr. Cameron and the entire Rheumatology staff at SickKids Hospital. The scholarship award is $2,500. Applicants must be a legal and permanent resident of Canada who is diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis by a physician.
Eligibility and To Apply by May 14th, 2021: http://artinmotion10k.com/dr-bonnie-cameron-post-secondary-scholarship/
The annual scholarship winner will be awarded $1,000 towards their tuition to an accredited Canadian post-secondary institution.
The scholarship will be awarded to a Canadian high school student with a documented disability who is pursuing post-secondary education in the field of study in health care, criminal justice or community & social services at an accredited Canadian institution for the upcoming academic year 2021/2022.
Learn more and apply by July 31st, 2021 here.
Gym Class FAQ
For many children with rheumatic diseases, physical challenges at school and in gym class can be huge barriers, barriers which are made even more difficult when teachers don’t have the facts about JA and exercise. Dr. Tommy Gerschman, Pediatric Rheumatologist specializing in pediatric sports medicine, exercise and health answers some FAQs about participating in sports and gym class with JA. Whether you are a teacher or a parent, you will gain invaluable information from Dr. Gerschman! For more information and FAQs, please visit our Physical Activity Resource page.
School Tips from Experts
Get expert advice and recommendations from an occupational therapist, a parent, a school administrator and a young adult with JIA as they host a panel on School Solutions and Educational Rights, held at Cassie and Friends 2018 BC Juvenile Arthritis Family Day. They cover a variety of issues including how to effectively communicate with educators, what school accommodations your child might benefit from and an overview of your child’s educational rights.
How to be Successful at School with Rheumatic Disease
Hear from kids, youth and parents on how they navigated school, friendships, teacher communications, physical education and more with Juvenile Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
Medical Educational Video – Arthritis Society
Through the voices of children and teens living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), this video gives teachers and others a better understanding of how arthritis affects students. It also offers suggestions for how to make school a friendlier and more welcoming place for someone living with JIA.
