School Accommodations

Your IBD and treatments might affect your school attendance or performance. You might have to miss school when you have medical appointments or if you’re feeling really bad during a flare. Remember, you are still responsible for learning the required subject matter. To help you do that, your parents can request a 504 (Accommodation) Plan. Once your health care professionals and the school identify how your IBD could affect you in school, a 504 Plan is created that lists the accommodations, special services, or adjustments that you might need. 

Once an evaluation of your needs is completed, accommodations, special services, or adjustments to your school activities due to your IBD can be made. These accommodations can include, but are not limited to: 

• The freedom to go to the bathroom whenever you need to
• Permission to use a private bathroom, like the one in the nurse’s office
• A place to keep your emergency supplies, maybe near that bathroom in the nurse’s office
• Permission to take regularly scheduled and emergency medication at the nurse’s office
• Permission to eat snacks and drink liquids throughout the day
• Get help with classwork that you missed and have quizzes, tests, and projects rescheduled
• “Stop the clock” during tests so you can use the bathroom and not lose any test-taking time
• Excused absences due to illness, medical appointments, and treatments
• A home tutor if you have to be out of school for a while
• Allow an extra set of books at home

Even if you are doing well and do not feel like you need a 504 Plan, it is always good to have it in place—just in case.

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has a 504 Plan template for you and your caregiver(s).