Before your child attends school, it can be helpful to partner with a Child Life Specialist or school guidance counselor, to help your child identify at least one trusted adult that they can talk to about their ostomy. This could be a person that your child can go to at school if they are having a difficult day. The value of peers begins to grow during school age. If your child feels comfortable, help them identify at least one friend that they can tell about their ostomy. Children benefit from opportunities to practice what they will say to a friend about their ostomy, so providing them with opportunities to write down what they want to say and/or rehearsing with family members before sharing with friends or peers can be helpful.

Ensure the school has extra supplies for a pouch change; wafers, disposable towels, disposal bag for old pouch. It would be helpful to have step by step instructions if someone at the school is helping your child with the pouch change. They may also need a change of clothes.  Often this is in the main office or school nurse’s office. You may need the nurse or principal to plan where the child will keep supplies and have space for ostomy care.