Lesson 7: Special Health Care Needs

Attention

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able

• Describe the IFSP process
  
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of some common childhood special health needs
  
• Discuss methods for supporting children with special health needs
  
• Explain and share classroom climate building activities

Teaching

Read Chapter 13 SN&H

A chronic health condition is one that requires ongoing treatment. When you have children in your care with this issue, they may need support from you.

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (http://idea.ed.gov) is a law that requires educational institutions to provide care for children of all abilities. This means that schools and teachers have to meet the needs of all students. Therefor, if a child has a chronic health condition, a plan should be created by the adults who care for the child, such as a parent, teacher, health care provider, therapist, specialist, etc, to ensure that the child can be successful in the class. For children ages birth through five, this is called an Individual Family Service Plan. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_Family_Service_Plan)

This plan may include medical information, developmental information, adaptations for activities or goals for the child to work on. Some children may require extra adult support, such as an Aid or Ed Tech, while others may need few adaptations.

Your role as a care provider is to follow the parts of the plan that pertain to the child’s time with you. This may mean that you administer medication, make changes to your physical environment or adapt lesson plans. The team will meet regularly to discuss progress and make changes to the plan as needed, to ensure that the child is doing well.
Important supports for you to provide are:

• Be familiar with the plan (IFSP) and make the proper adjustments in your classroom and curriculum
  
• Work as part of the team. Parents, therapists and medical personnel are excellent, knowledgable resources
  
• Have a plan to address issues as they occur, such as health emergencies, physical or mental problems, as outlined in the plan
  
• Provide an organized daily schedule, but also allow for flexibility. This benefits all of the children in your class
  
• Treat the child the same as everyone else and establish a classroom culture of acceptance

Although children with chronic illness need plans to keep them safe and healthy, it is necessary for you to also create an emotionally safe environment. This begins the first day of school.

Read the following article by The National Association for the Education for Young Children (NAEYC). (https://oldweb.naeyc.org/about/positions/dap4.asp).

Team games, reading books about working as a team or being kind and role modeling, are just a few ways a teacher can build the positive classroom climate of acceptance.

Assessment

Lesson 7 Quiz

Lesson Quizzes will consist of material from the lesson, the discussions, and from assigned reading. Questions will be True/False, Multiple Choice, and Short Answer. Be sure to review all the Lesson and Reading material prior to starting this quiz.

Lesson 7 Discussion A

“Nate is a feisty three and a half year old in your class who loves to ride trikes, the faster the better. You notice if he does too much of this, he begins to wheeze and his asthma kicks up. What would you do to make sure Nate doesn’t get to the point where his activity makes him sick?”

Lesson 7 Discussion B

Share your favorite community- and/or culture-building activity.