Parents face the dilemma of continuing preschool through treatment, risking exposure to all the usual childhood viruses and diseases, or holding their child out, which denies them the opportunity for social growth and development. In the sad event that the child's health continues to deteriorate and all possible treatments have been exhausted, it is time for the students and staff to discuss ways to be supportive during his final days. Classmates need timely information about their ill classmate, so that they can deal with his declining health and prepare for his death. The possibility of death from cancer should have been sensitively raised in the initial class presentation prior to the student's return to school, but additional information is needed if the student's health declines. They need to be reassured that death will not suddenly occur at school, that the child will either die at home or in the hospital.
Staff needs to be aware that participation at school is vital to a sick child's well-being.
They should welcome and support the child's need to attend school as long as possible. The hospital advocate should meet with school personnel and the student's class to answer questions about the student's health status and to address fears and misconceptions about death. It is helpful to provide reading materials on death and dying for the ill child's classmates, siblings' classmates, teachers, and staff. Extraordinary efforts should be made to keep in touch once the child can no longer attend school. Visits to the hospital or child's home should be made, if appropriate.