How can visits to the medical clinic affect a childs behavior at school?
Children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who receive consistent medical care have more medical clinic visits than the average child. They may visit clinics three or four times per year, or even more often, depending on the child’s individual needs. These clinic visits may affect each child in a variety of ways. For any child, visits to medical clinics are a change in routine from daily attendance at school. A child may anticipate this cheerfully, or may feel a great deal of anxiety related to an altered schedule. During clinic visits medical staff are prepared to support the child in various ways. They’re able to give him and his family medical information to help them understand the progression of muscular dystrophy. They’ll encourage the child to focus on cognitive rather than motor abilities and give him ways to use the strength remaining in the muscles for as long as possible. In clinic, the child has the opportunity to see others who are affected with the same disease. This can c
