James* was in middle school when he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. The frequent nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea caused by Crohn’s meant he often soiled himself at school or missed class. James’ doctor wrote his school a letter outlining needed actions to accommodate James’ condition. The school responded by developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that did not include James’ doctor’s recommendations or recognize his health needs.
Following implementation of the plan, James continued to experience accidents and was the victim of bullying. His mother would keep him out of school when his symptoms flared, causing James to fall farther behind. A DCBF grantee met with the school on the family’s behalf. They reviewed James’ IEP, educated school staff them on how the disease impacted his learning, and advocated for accommodations to help James keep us with coursework. A new IEP was developed, resulting in James receiving tutoring support and emails of assignments when absent from school. As a result of this support, James has been better able to succeed academically.
*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality