A Cheerful Account of My Child, Angel, Resuming Education Without a Hitch
After a challenging summer, 13-year-old Juliana, the author's daughter who has Angelman syndrome, returned to school last week. The back-to-school season, with its school supplies, adjustments, and new routines, can be stressful for many children, but for families dealing with conditions like Angelman syndrome, it can present unique challenges.
Juliana, currently attending the 7th grade at the Colegio Pureza de María, is participating in a school exchange in the city of Santa Cruz on Tenerife. The author has been preparing for this transition with certain hacks, such as dropping off school supplies at meet and greets, to ease Juliana into the new environment.
The summer months had seen challenging behaviour from Juliana, with longer crying jags and uncooperative behaviour. To combat this, the author has made some changes to Juliana's morning routine. Previously, Juliana would wake up separately with her father, but now she starts her day when the author begins hers.
The author has also reduced Juliana's morning screen time, with the screen turning off before she leaves for school. This change, along with the altered routine, was implemented to help combat Juliana's crying and fussing on her way to school.
The author is hopeful that these small improvements are beneficial for Juliana. In fact, there have been positive signs. Juliana is now in middle school, and her day starts later than before. Despite this, she has had a good start to the seventh grade, as evidenced by her positive responses when asked about her day at school.
The author checks in with Juliana using her augmentative and alternative communication device (AAC) to ask about her day. Juliana, who uses the AAC to communicate, answers positively, and the author finds her in a happy mood after school.
It's important to note that this article is intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Angelman syndrome, and is not a source of medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The author's teacher's daily report is not the only source of information for the author, who also relies on Juliana's responses using the AAC.
Juliana's experience serves as a reminder that every child is unique, and finding the right strategies to help them thrive can take time and patience. The author remains hopeful that these changes will continue to benefit Juliana as she navigates the challenges of middle school and beyond.
