Daughter with Leukemia Starting Kindergarten/504 Plans

If you have some help with the little guy, I'd suggest you help out at school as often as you can. Your presence could ease her anxiety and yours, too. You could lessen your 'helping' as the year progressed, as she gets into a routine and the teacher is able to manage. I would also consider home schooling. Except for the social, it may be a viable option. If you attend church, her social times could be centered at church activities or small play groups with those kiddos. The teacher may not mind you bringing the baby, but he may be more inquisitive than they are prepared to deal with. I helped in all my kids classes (4) throughout their school years so I could learn their friends and see what they faced each day for better support. Only in high school did they not really like it. God Bless

My son was diagnosed with Marfan's at 8 and he did have a 504. He took atenolol to keep his blood pressure down. On this medicine, his blood sugar level could go down very quickly and if he didn't eat he could easily go into a coma. Needless to say, the school was extremely accomodating as far as snacks went. The nurse kept whatever we brought in her office and my son went there whenever he started feeling hungry or shaky. Suprisingly, he never took advantage of it. There were several other things included on the 504 plan. He got to have an extra set of books at home, got to have extra time to finish tests and was restricted from doing push ups and sit ups and rope climb in PE. You will definitely become good friends with the nurse, so be patient, kind, and keep her updated constantly. Good luck!

I don't have an advice on this I just wanted to send hugs thoughts and prayers to you and your family and I hope she is 100% again soon

V.,
I don't have kids that has had cancer, but my husband did have ALL at he age of 13. He has been cancer free for 20 years now. The DR. told him he wasn't going to be able to have kids, and we now have 2. The one advice that I can give you is, keep your faith in God strong!!
E.

I know in my son's Kindergarten class, when us room parents got together with the teacher, we asked about having a snack time. Parents would send in donations of healthier things such as crackers, fruits, stuff like that, and the class had a snack time at some point after lunch. If your daughter's teacher is not up for that (or it's not allowed) just set up a certian time(s) every day for her to go to the nurses office so she won't be taking advantage of it? Also, I know there are certian teachers in my sons grade who are "vetrans" I guess you could say, who are more apt to deal with kids that can get antsy, or have ADD etc... Mayber a teacher like that would be good for her so that when she does have her antsy phase the teacher will know how to deal with it in a positive way! Such as changing activities etc... At my sons school in K and also in 1st grade, they have "Centers" where they do different activities and are free to move around the classroom etc... Anyhow thought I'd throw that in there! I know my son can be antsy at times on his own, and those were his favorite parts of the day ; ) I hope things work out and she has a great kindergarten year!

As a former professional school counselor, and therefore former 504 casemanager, I can tell you that there is a process that the school must go through before writing a 504 plan, so know that most schools will not put such a plan in place immediately without first observing your daughter and determining whether she does, in fact, need such a plan in place. In general, the requirements for a 504 are that she has a medical diagnosis (which she does) and that this diagnosis significantly impacts a major life activity. In schools, this is usually education. The school will need time to determine whether the diagnosis is having a significant impact on her learning, and if so, they may write a 504. Some schools prefer to use their CARE team rather than go the 504 route, and if she is doing well in school and your requests are things like having extra snacks, this may be the more appropriate plan. In either case, this is not the same as Special Education.

I hope this helped clarify the process a little for you. I know parents are sometimes misinformed by their doctors' good intentions regarding accommodation plans and therefore can become frustrated with the school, but there is a very specific process before a child can qualify for a 504 plan. Good luck to you and your daughter on your kindergarten adventure!

pack her a big snack. Most elementary classes have snack time available if the child brings their own snacks. Some kids bring more while others don't bring anything and it doesn't seem to bother them either way. My kids never required snacks so they usually don't have one unless they remember that morning and ask me to pack one but most of the time they don't take one. Most classrooms will let them have water bottles as well so that may help stimulate her appetite between meals.
Other kids don't eat well and will save some of their lunch for their snack later if it is a finger type food or some will save their milk for snack if the teacher has a little fridge to put it in or if the teacher allows it.

I also work with special needs kids in the public school and some of the kids require snacks more often and some teachers just let them eat when they need to in the classroom. You will be surprised at how well the other kids accept and want to help out. They will even help remind the teacher when that special child needs to eat or take medicine or whatever their needs are. I love seeing the compassion and love in these little kids lives when they help out with their peers and make everyone feel special regardless of their life situations. Some teachers have small refrigerators in their classes and the parents have provided extra snacks for their child that requires them more often and the child will let the teacher know when they feel they need one so having some extras available at the nurses office as well will help.

I have a son that is a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed when he was 11 and starting middle school in a new district. He is now 20 and just finished his Sophmore year at Washburn in Topeka and he is all clear.

Contact the school immediately and advise them. What a 504 (there is a pre-cursor to the 504 but the name of it escapes me now) plan does is put the school on notice that they may need to put in place accomodations for her, as required by state law. This could be as simple as letting her wear hats to school to having a tutor set up at home. I know they are accomodating now, and hopefully you are in a district that handel these they way they are supposed to, but in the event they resist any required accomodation, it is much easier to get this in place now.

We also went to CMH and Dr. Lewing is our doctor. We had a great experience and love Dr Lewing and the staff. I wish only good things for you. You are stronger than you think...really.

Hi V.,
I would just like to recommend a book for you to read. Calling of an angel, natures cure for cancer, by Dr. Gary Glum, is the true story of a canadain nurse that cured cancer in people the Dr.'s had given up on, with an old Ojibwa Indian herbal recipe, and her fight with the governments (this was in the 1920's)to make it available to everyone who needed it. Dr. Glum's book was banned and confiscated, and is hard to find but the Library was able to borrow it from a Jefferson county, CO. library. I found it very interesting, and bought my own copy from http://www.herbalhealer.com/ they also sell the herbs to make your own at home, and have many member testimonies. It is free to become a member, and is owned and opperated my Dr. Marijah McCain ND, in Mountainview, AR. You can also visit Dr. Glum's website I think it is http://www.drgaryglumandassociates.com
Hopefully one day, this information will be more widely known. I feel everyone should be able to have this information, instead of the government and medical establishments trying to hide it. We can only hope that by passing this on by word of mouth, that people find the truth that the government don't want anyone to know. Dr. Glum also has another book about aids but I have not read it. Herbal Healer sends a copy of Dr. Glum's interview with every 4 Herb Tea order, which has instructions for making the tea also. Good luck to you, and may God watch over your daughter.
K.

This is not anything I have had to deal with, but I would like to offer some support. Just be sure to communicate with the nurse and teacher. Your daughter deserves some special considerations and I'm sure any good kindergarten teacher can provide it. You seem to be doing all you can do to prepare your daughter, (and yourself). Good luck.