Teachers can be great allies in keeping your child with leukemia safe and successful in school, but you'll need to make sure they have all the knowledge they need to help. Use these suggestions to create a information packet to bring educators up to speed.
Five Things Teachers Need to Know
1. My child may tire easily or drift off. Please understand that this is a health issue and not a behavior issue.
2. My child may have some learning problems as a result of cancer treatment. Please let me know about any difficulties you see.
3. Exposure to chicken pox can be very dangerous to my child. I can provide a letter for the school to send to families on our need to be informed.
4. It's okay to let my child's classmates know about his condition as long as it is done in an appropriate way. I'd be happy to help prepare a program.
5. Please keep the lines of communication open between our home and the school. My child needs to have all of the adults in her life to be working together.
Print-Outs to Share with Teachers
Children With Cancer: Effects and Educational Implications
Source: Ped-Onc Resource Center
Leukemia Fact Sheet (pdf)
Source: Northeast Service Cooperative
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
Source: Washington University Medical Center
Acute Monocytic Leukemia (AML)
Source: Washington University Medical Center
Learning and Living With Cancer: Advocating for Your Child's Educational Needs (pdf)
Source: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
