Seeing as it’s back-to-school time, Fibro Spot is out to focus on school stuff. So, this entry is a rarity: this one is for your mom. Being the parent of a kid with Fibromyalgia is surely just as painful as having the disease yourself, and I want to help you.
You already bought notebooks and pens, but now here are three things that can make school life easier for your son or daughter with Fibromyalgia.
The first one is obvious. Make the school accept that your child may need to take medicine throughout the day. This sounds simple, but often there are several hoops to jump through. Get a doctor’s note, and (provided your child is old enough) get permission for him or her to come take the medication as needed. This means if pain medication is waning early, she isn’t going to spend 20 minutes arguing with the school nurse that “You still have another half hour.” This makes life incredibly easier.
Next – and I swear if you tell your kid or my mom that I said this—sneak a granola bar or a pack of fruit snacks in her bag. Be sneaky, because we really hate this. However, taking medicine can lead to unhappy stomach, and having something there to calm it down is fantastic.
Finally, a voice recorder, digital if you can swing it. This one applies mostly to juniors and seniors in high school. Once you’re in classes with heavy notes, having the option to spare your forearms is a very good thing. Some recorders even come with software that can transcribe the audio for you.
If you can swing the extra cash for a digital model, it’ll be much appreciated. They’re slimmer and less conspicuous. Also, they’ll allow him/her to save the file to the computer and keep all the voice notes. Plus, the aforementioned fancy audio transcription element. (I don’t think it’s necessary at all.)
