What should I tell my child’s school?

Your child has IBD — but how much does the school actually need to know? Here’s what parents should consider sharing about Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, symptoms, treatment and the support your child may need.

Telling your child’s school that they have IBD can feel complicated.

You may wonder:

“Do I need to tell all their teachers?”

“What if my child doesn’t want other people to know?”

“How much medical information should I share?”

There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Your child’s privacy matters, but sharing the right information with the right people can make school much easier and safer for your child.

The goal isn’t to give the school your child’s entire medical history.

It’s to make sure the people who need to support your child understand what they may experience, what they need and what to do if they become unwell.

🏫 Who needs to know?

You don’t necessarily need to tell every person at school.

Depending on your child’s age and needs, it may be helpful to speak with:

• their classroom teacher

• year-level or pastoral care staff

• the school principal or relevant coordinator

• the school nurse, where available

• PE and sports teachers

• staff responsible for excursions and camps

• staff who may administer medication.

For younger children, you may take the lead in communicating with the school.

Older children and teenagers may want more control over who knows about their IBD. Where possible, involve your child in deciding what information is shared.

🩺 Start with the basics

Teachers don’t need a medical textbook.

Start with a simple explanation.

You might explain that your child has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

IBD is a chronic condition that can cause inflammation in the digestive system.

Your child may have periods when they feel well and periods when symptoms become more difficult.

You can then explain how IBD affects your child specifically.

For example:

“My child has Crohn’s disease. Most of the time they are able to participate normally at school, but during periods of active disease they may experience abdominal pain, diarrhoea, urgency and fatigue.”

Keeping the explanation focused on your child’s needs can be more useful than giving the school lots of general medical information.

🚽 Explain their toilet needs

For many children with IBD, toilet access is one of the most important things the school needs to understand.

During an IBD flare, your child may suddenly need to use the toilet.

They may not be able to wait until the end of a lesson or ask permission in the usual way.

Make sure the relevant staff know:

• your child needs immediate toilet access

• whether they need a toilet pass or another arrangement

• which toilets they can use

• who they should speak to if there is a problem

• what to do if your child has an accident.

Your child should not have to repeatedly explain their medical condition every time they need to leave the classroom.

😴 Explain fatigue

Fatigue can be an important symptom of IBD, but it isn’t always obvious. Your child may look perfectly well while still feeling exhausted.

Fatigue can affect:

• concentration

• memory

• learning

• participation

• homework

• PE and physical activities

• their ability to cope with a full school day.

Let the school know if fatigue is something your child experiences.

You might explain:

“Fatigue is one of my child’s IBD symptoms. If they are unusually tired, it may affect their concentration and ability to complete work.”

This helps teachers understand that changes in performance aren’t necessarily about motivation or behaviour.

🔥 Explain what happens during a flare

Your child’s school should know what an IBD flare may look like for them.

This could include:

• more frequent bowel movements

• diarrhoea

• urgency

• abdominal pain

• blood or mucus in the stool

• fatigue

• reduced appetite

• nausea

• difficulty concentrating.

Your child’s symptoms may be different from another child’s symptoms.

Tell the school what they should expect from your child and what you would like them to do if symptoms suddenly become worse.

💊 Tell them about medication

If your child takes medication during school hours, the school needs clear instructions about the arrangements.

Depending on your child’s medication and school policies, this may include:

• what medication they take

• when it needs to be taken

• who administers it

• where it is stored

• what happens if a dose is missed

• who to contact if there is a problem.

You don’t necessarily need to explain every medication your child takes if it isn’t relevant to school.

Focus on what school staff need to know to support your child safely.

🧪 What about medical appointments?

IBD can involve regular appointments, blood tests, stool tests, scans, procedures and hospital visits.

Your child may therefore miss school even when they aren’t experiencing a flare.

It can help to explain that some absences are related to ongoing medical care.

Ask the school how you should communicate planned appointments and how your child can access missed work.

📚 Explain what happens when they miss school

One of the most helpful things you can do is agree on a plan for missed work.

Ask:

• How will my child access missed classwork?

• Who will provide it?

• Can teachers prioritise essential work?

• What happens with homework?

• Can deadlines be extended?

• What happens if my child misses an assessment?

• Who should we contact if they are away for several days?

Your child may already be worried about falling behind.

Having a clear process can take some of that pressure away.

📝 Talk about exams and assessments

If your child has frequent symptoms, significant fatigue or regular medical appointments, it may be useful to discuss assessment arrangements before a problem occurs.

Depending on the school and your child’s circumstances, support might include:

• extra time

• rest breaks

• access to a toilet

• alternative assessment arrangements

• extensions

• catch-up assessments

• flexibility when your child is experiencing significant symptoms.

Available adjustments vary between countries and schools, so ask what support your child’s school can provide.

🏃 What about PE and sport?

Your child doesn’t automatically need to avoid PE because they have IBD.

However, their ability to participate may change during a flare or when they are experiencing significant fatigue or pain.

Let the school know if your child needs to:

• take breaks

• access water

• use the toilet immediately

• modify an activity

• sit out when they are genuinely unwell

• return to exercise gradually after illness.

If your child’s IBD team has given specific advice about physical activity, share this with the relevant staff.

🏕️ Don’t forget camps and excursions

School camps and excursions can create extra worries for children with IBD.

Before a trip, consider discussing:

• toilet access

• medication

• food requirements

• emergency contacts

• what happens if symptoms suddenly worsen

• access to a bathroom overnight

• privacy when changing or showering

• what happens if your child needs to go home.

Planning ahead can help your child participate without feeling like their IBD is stopping them from joining in.

🤐 What if my child doesn’t want anyone to know?

This can be one of the hardest parts.

Older children and teenagers may be very protective of their privacy.

They may worry about being treated differently, being teased or having classmates find out about their bowel symptoms.

Try to understand what your child is actually worried about.

You could ask:

“Who would you be comfortable knowing?”

“What are you worried might happen if they know?”

“What information would you like me to keep private?”

You can then work together on what needs to be shared.

Your child may be happy for the year coordinator to know but not want their entire class told.

They may want teachers to know they need unrestricted toilet access but not want anyone discussing their diagnosis with classmates.

Those preferences are worth discussing.

💬 Give your child a simple explanation

Some children prefer to tell friends themselves.

It can help to practise a short explanation they can use if someone asks questions.

For example:

“I have IBD, which affects my gut. Sometimes I need the toilet more often or have to miss school.”

They can then decide whether they want to say more.

They don’t owe anyone a detailed explanation of their symptoms, treatment or medical history.

🧠 Talk about emotional wellbeing

IBD can affect more than your child’s physical health.

School can become stressful if your child is worried about:

• having an accident

• needing the toilet

• being away from friends

• falling behind

• being different

• medication

• body changes

• eating at school

• PE or swimming

• being asked questions about their illness.

Let the school know if your child is experiencing significant anxiety or distress.

A trusted staff member can provide an important point of contact during the school day.

📋 Put important information in writing

After talking with the school, it can be useful to have the key arrangements written down.

A simple school support plan might include:

Medical information

• diagnosis

• relevant symptoms

• medications needed at school

• emergency contacts.

Toilet access

• unrestricted access

• toilet pass or agreed arrangement

• preferred toilets.

During a flare

• symptoms to watch for

• who to contact

• what your child needs.

Learning

• missed-work arrangements

• assessment adjustments

• communication with teachers.

Sport and activities

• when your child may need to modify activities

• access to breaks, water and toilets.

Emotional support

• who your child can speak to if they are worried or struggling.

You can update the plan as your child’s needs change.

👩‍🏫 Give teachers practical information

A teacher may never have taught a child with IBD before.

A short, practical explanation can be more useful than a long list of medical information.

Make sure they understand these key points:

IBD can be unpredictable.

Your child’s symptoms may change over time.

Your child may need the toilet urgently.

They should not be made to wait.

Your child may experience fatigue.

This can affect concentration and learning.

Your child may need medical appointments.

Absences aren’t necessarily related to poor attendance or lack of engagement.

Your child may look well.

IBD symptoms aren’t always visible.

Accidents can happen.

They should be handled privately and respectfully.

Your child’s needs may change.

Support that isn’t needed today may become important during a flare.

❤️ Protect your child’s dignity

One of the most important things to communicate to school staff is that your child should be treated with dignity.

They should not be singled out unnecessarily.

They should not be publicly questioned about their symptoms.

They should not be embarrassed for needing the toilet.

And they should not feel that having IBD means they are incapable of participating in school life.

Small details can make a big difference.

A teacher quietly allowing a child to leave the classroom can be much less stressful than making them ask publicly.

A private conversation after an accident can be much less distressing than drawing attention to what happened.

📥 Download the IBD School Support Plan

We’ve created a practical IBD School Support Plan that you can use to communicate your child’s needs with their school.

It provides space to record important information about:

• your child’s IBD

• symptoms

• toilet access

• medication

• flares

• fatigue

• learning and absences

• PE and activities

• camps and excursions

• emotional wellbeing

• emergency contacts

• additional support needs.

Take the completed plan to your child’s school and use it as a starting point for a conversation about how they can best support your child.

📝 A simple checklist for parents

Before speaking with the school, think about these questions:

☐ What does my child need the school to know about their IBD?

☐ Who needs to know?

☐ Does my child need unrestricted toilet access?

☐ Do they need medication during school hours?

☐ What symptoms might affect their school day?

☐ What happens when they are having an IBD flare?

☐ How will missed work be managed?

☐ Do they need support with fatigue?

☐ Are there any PE or sport considerations?

☐ What support might they need for exams or assessments?

☐ What happens if they have an accident?

☐ Who should my child go to if they feel unwell or overwhelmed?

☐ What does my child want kept private?

☐ Do we need a written school support plan?

💛 You don’t have to tell them everything

You don’t need to give the school every detail about your child’s IBD.

Think about what they need to know to support your child well.

Start with the practical things: toilet access, symptoms, fatigue, medication, absences and what to do if your child becomes unwell.

Then consider your child’s privacy, age and preferences.

The aim is to create a school environment where your child can say:

“My teachers understand what I need, and I don’t have to be embarrassed about it.”

That’s what good school support should look like.