Report
After speaking with your child, and if bullying is occurring at school, take the following actions:
- Talk with the staff at your child’s school. Set an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher(s), counselor(s) or principal. They can have a better understanding of the peer relationships your child has at school.
- During the meeting, share your concerns. Ask if they have noticed any unusual behavior and how your child gets along with other students.
- Speak with other staff who interact with your child at school to see if they’ve seen your child being bullied, or ask the teacher to talk with other school staff on your behalf.
Many times, providing education about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can help your child gain allies. When speaking with your child’s teacher or principal, offer to provide information or a presentation about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis to help your child’s classmates and school staff gain a better understanding of the disease and its impact. Use the presentation to dispel myths about psoriatic disease such as the common misconception that it is contagious. (Which it is not!)
Resources such as picture books and a power point presentation are available through the National Psoriasis Foundation to help you as a parent, or a school nurse, provide education to classmates and school staff.
Stay alert for changes that could indicate a serious problem and the need to seek help from a child psychologist. Ask your child’s dermatologist or rheumatologist for a referral or visit Psychology Today to find a child therapist.