What you need to learn about homeschooling
BevK February 22nd, 2007
Effective health care for the homeschooled child requires understanding of the issues, an open line of communication to parents, and the vigilance to ensure that children not covered by the safety net of school screening get the care they need.
This article is a quick look at homeschooling for the pediatric physician who knows nothing about homeschooling. It concludes:
More than 1 million children in the US are homeschooled, a number that increases every year. Relatively little is known about the benefits and drawbacks of homeschooling, and well-designed research in this area is needed.
Because homeschooled children do not have access to the extra health and learning screening provided by schools and teachers, you must be vigilant in following your patients’ health care and monitoring their socialization. You can also direct parents of children with special needs to resources in the community that might otherwise be provided by schools. Most important, maintain a nonjudgmental attitude toward parents who choose homeschooling, so that you can keep the lines of communication open and foster trust.
Read the article to see the recommendations for dealing with homeschooled patients.
Hat tip: HSLDA
