Whether it's grammar school, high school, or college, school means increased stress, fatigue, and possibly cognitive challenges. You CAN handle the challenge.
If you're a student with MS, You CAN:
- Incorporate rest periods into your schedule—and rest before you get tired.
- Take an exercise class or a daily walk or speak with your health care professional about an exercise program.
- Plan ahead so you're not caught needing an all-nighter to study for a test or write a paper.
- Ask your teacher about any accommodations you need, like using a digital recorder in class.
- Get together with your friends.
- Consider getting an extra set of textbooks (one for school and one for home) so you don't have so much in your backpack.
If you're a parent with MS, You CAN help your children be good students:
- Plan ahead for their extracurricular activities.
- Plan how to provide homework help by yourself or by enlisting others.
- Schedule your day to include rest before you get tired.
- Plan some exercise every day. It may be stretching, yoga, or taking a walk.
- Ask for help when you need it with tasks like picking up children from school or activities.
- Work together with your children to prevent unwelcome surprises, like friends invited at the last minute for dinner.
- Spend some weekend time as a family planning and fixing meals for the week.
- Do other chores as a family too—cleaning up, yard work, laundry.
- Spread meal preparation over the day to decrease fatigue.
If you're a parent of a student with MS, You CAN:
- Make sure your child's health-care team knows about school expectations and school problems.
- Make sure school officials know about your child's symptoms and the need for privacy and discuss any necessary accommodations.
- Get involved with school activities; meet other parents and teachers.
- Ask the National MS Society for materials to educate school staff about MS.
Contributing editors: Brian Hutchinson, PT, President, The Heuga Center; Momentum Magazine, Staff.