In the contemporary schools there are many children with special needs due to various health issues. This often impacts their daily schedules and special learning programs or plans need to be developed for them. In some cases, children with health conditions require certain arrangements inside and outside of the classroom to improve the comfort of their academic experiences. Children who face bladder issues may require a procedure called clean intermittent catheterization also known as CIC.
Clean intermittent catheterization is not a complex procedure, but it still requires repetitive training and education for the caregiver or educator to perform it. CIC is individual for every child. This practice varies for male and female children due to the different anatomical characteristics of boys and girls. After a certain age children are able to perform this procedure on their own. Yet, in many cases the students with bladder problems require help or assistance during clean intermittent catheterization.
This procedure is quick, simple and does not require much effort or equipment. Clean intermittent catheterization secures the children with bladder issues from public embarrassment such as daytime wetting. This is why it is important. The equipment required for clean intermittent catheterization includes disposable gloves, catheters, receptacle for catheter, water-soluble lubricant, cleansing supplies such as cotton balls and wet wipes, barrier (if the student is male). The supplies can be kept in a special box in the classroom, and the procedure may be performed in the toilet.
Students with bladder issues who require clean intermittent catheterization are also in need of special schedule as their bladder has to be emptied regularly. A teacher should provide some more structure to the daily schedule of such students, but it is important not to create too many rules and limitations. Truly, when a caregiver, a teacher or a parent is too concerned about a child’s wellbeing, they might overprotect the child adding to many restrictions to their life. As a result, special treatment and individual education disrupt the natural development of a child.
Teachers and parents should always remember that being active, loud, and mischievous is a part of the natural development of children, and that the best and most essential way of learning for them is through play. Parents of special needs children are often overly caring and controlling about their children’s schedules. They do it because they want everything to be right, they want to avoid errors and damage, and provide the best and fullest care for their children.
The role of an intervention specialist is to inform the parents about all of the attributes important for their children’s happy, healthy and harmonious development. Preventing a child from being a child is not helpful, this might seem like a good and responsible way of providing the child’s security physically, but this creates similar effect to putting a child into a cage. Emotionally, too much structure would harm a child. A loving and caring household where there is a special needs child should not be all about therapies, medications and assessment. Making play a part of their protective schedule is what a parent should do.
Children with special needs remain children regardless of their issues. Young children often do not even understand that something is wrong with them. It is vital for the parents, educators and caregivers of such children to address their special needs along with their normal needs, such as the need to play and enjoy their childhood.