Stop the world, they want to get on

As life expectancy for many chronically ill children increases, new efforts are needed to make society more aware of the comprehensive needs of these children and their families. Chronically ill children must strive to succeed in two different worlds: the healthcare environment and the community. For the most part, there is a little networking between the two. And that is the problem. To develop their full potential, children with chronic health problems must be able to attend school, form friendships, and fulfill their desire to learn without being impeded by some uncontrollable factor such as a health problem. When significant people such as teachers and peers are misinformed about a child's illness, they may misinterpret what they observe about him or her, which can be a serious barrier to progress. The collective efforts of healthcare professionals, teachers, community groups, families, and the chronically ill children themselves are needed to improve the community's understanding of chronic illness. Educators can benefit from networking with healthcare professionals, who, in turn, can become better informed about the day-to-day concerns of school personnel when a pupil has a special health problem.