Education adjustments for ME/CFS or long COVID
The aim of all adjustments is to support your child or young person’s pathway through school, and their ability to keep in touch with friends while living within their energy limits.
The ideas below are suggestions only. It is important to work with your doctor, child or young person, and the school, to decide on the adjustments that are best for the student as an individual with their own symptoms, goals, preferences and energy limits.
Suggestions for engaging with your school include:
- Developing an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) with your child or young person, doctor and school, with your child or young person at the centre of the decision-making process. Take into account their particular circumstances, the changing nature of ME/CFS or long COVID energy limits, symptoms, and their personal preferences
- Asking for a single point of contact at school, so you can speak to the same person each time. You could develop a summary card that your child or young person can show to new or relief teachers, or as a reminder for everyone
- The student should never be pressured to participate in sports or to push their limits. ME/CFS is not being ‘unfit’, and pushing past their limits can cause severe relapses or a ‘crash’ lasting days, weeks, months or years. Pacing activity and not pushing past limits is crucial to increase the likelihood that your child will recover
- Some children and young people with ME/CFS or long COVID will be too severely affected to continue with school (even from home), no matter how much they are supported. However, remaining connected in some way can keep options open and will make it easier to engage with school later on, if their health improves.
- Choosing subjects that strongly interest the student can encourage success, and maintain school engagement and enjoyment, if reducing the number of subjects is required.
Supporting student wellbeing
Social contact is often limited, due to the need for rest and restricted school activities, and a tendency to prioritise school and homework. Balance is important. When possible, opportunities to spend time with friends should be made.
This may include:
- Inclusion in school or lunchtime social activities, even if the student is unable to attend all classes
- With the student’s permission, ask the school to help friends and fellow students understand the changes that are being made. For example, brainstorm with the class ways the student can feel more included in and out of the classroom.