Symptom | Adjustment |
PEM: loss of physical and mental stamina, symptoms made worse by physical or cognitive exertion or Orthostatic intolerance: dizziness or weakness when standing or Fatigue: persistent, marked fatigue that substantially reduces activity level | - Regular rest breaks when needed:
- Lying down with feet elevated
- Somewhere quiet and cool
- Can be during or between classes, depending on needs
- Reduce subject load
- Exemption from participation in physical activity program, or limited participation with documented adjustments
- Reduce or remove the need to stand in line
- Exemption from assemblies
- Reduce walking distance and avoid stairs, for example, schedule classes on the ground floor if there is no lift
- Reduce load carried in schoolbag, for example, an extra set of textbooks in classroom or at home
- Transport between different campus locations to reduce walking distance
- Non-uniform compression wear allowed
- Flexible timetabling
- Teacher breaks tasks into smaller chunks that can be completed in sequence
- Telepresence robot in classroom
- Use of Teams/Zoom inclusion when the student is well enough to join in from home
- Exemption from assignments that aren’t related to developing critical skills
- Focus on studying one or two subjects at a time
- Avoid scheduling school attendance on consecutive days
- Make an extended Variable Progression Plan, for example, doing senior over three years, instead of two
- Home tutoring to augment limited class time
- All schooling at home
- Exam time scheduled at best time of day (such as in the morning or afternoon only)
|
A long recovery period from exertion: takes more than 24 hours to recover to pre-exertion activity level | |
Sleep disturbance: non-restorative sleep, insomnia, hypersomnia | - Later start to class
- Finish class earlier in the day
- Sleep during the day in nurse’s office
- Exams and tests scheduled around the most alert period of the day, for example, in the morning
- Exam and tests supervised from home
|
Pain: muscles, joints headaches | - Assistive technology for everyday activities, for example, voice recording, voice to text
- Regular movement breaks in class
- Reduce load carried in schoolbag, for example, an extra set of text books in the classroom or at home
- Regular exam breaks
- Assistive technology during exams, for example, scribing or using a computer, instead of handwriting
- Allow sitting as comfortable, for example, feet tucked up on chair, frequently changing position
|
Memory disturbance: poor short-term memory | - Assistive technology for everyday activities, for example, voice recording, voice to text
- Provide classroom notes before the lesson
- Make an extended Variable Progression Plan, for example, doing senior over three years, instead of two
- Reduce information overload by focusing on key concepts for understanding
- Break tasks into smaller chunks that can be completed in sequence
- Exemption from assignments that aren’t related to developing critical skills
- Focus on studying one or two subjects at a time
- Give prior notice when asking questions, allow extra time to generate and format answers
- Check with the student at regular intervals and help redirect back on the task as necessary
- Provide checklists
- Limit multi-tasking or giving two or three step requests
- Use the same strategies consistently, rather than providing multiple ways to do things
- Reduce exams and assignments to essential components
- Home assessments with supervision
- Bed provided in exam for lying flat in rest breaks
- Extensive rest breaks
- Exam split over two days
- Oral exams sitting or lying down, not standing, and one assessor, not the whole class or a panel
|
Confusion and difficulty concentrating | - Additional rest breaks during exams
- Extra time for exams
- Automatic two-week extension for assignments
- Noise cancelling headphones
|
Difficulty retrieving words or saying the wrong word | - Provide extra time to complete tasks
- Avoid putting the student on the spot
|
Gastrointestinal disturbance: diarrhoea, IBS | - No permission required to go to the toilet during class
|
Heat or cold intolerance, or erratic changes in body temperature | - Class in airconditioned rooms only for warmer days, heated rooms only for cooler days
- Allowed to stay inside with friends on warmer or cooler days
- Allowed to access water a bottle in class
- Adjustment to uniform requirements (for example, not required to wear a blazer on warmer days)
- Ensure adequate heating in classroom
- Ensure adequate cooling in classroom
- Study from home when the temperature is outside of the tolerated zone
- Alterations to school uniform allowed
|
Sensitive to light, noise or odours | - Noise cancelling headphones
- Sunglasses indoors
- Classroom is away from cleaning products
- Exemption from science experiments using chemicals, or art classes with paint and glue fumes
- Other people asked to not wear scented products
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Other adjustments not listed | - Snacks and drink allowed during class
|
Other medical supports not listed | |
Functional physical hours/mins | |
Functional cognitive hours/mins | |
Can sit in a chair for hours/mins before the need to walk or lie down | |
