Health Concerns in the Classroom

It’s quite common today that we have students who have asthma, diabetes or severe allergies in our classrooms. There was a time when all their medical needs were the responsibility of the school nurse, and the teacher did not really have to know much about a child’s medical issues. However, things have changed a lot today. These types of health concerns are increasingly more common and it may be practical that the teacher and even the rest of the classroom be aware of how a child can be helped in case of an emergency.

So how do we explain to the other kids about a particular disease, without alienating or pointing to a particular student. Following are a couple suggestions. Maybe you can assign a project to the class where they research different medical conditions and what to do in case of an emergency. Perhaps the child with the illness can be given an opportunity to add to the compiled research. In some classrooms, students might work together to make emergency posters and reminders to help them remember what they need to do.

Some people will argue that other children don’t need to get involved in these issues. While others may indicate that  they have seen children who have had the opportunity to care for classmates grow up to be responsible care givers.

Do you think students in the classroom should be encouraged to help and care for their classmates who have medical conditions?