What Teachers Should Know

Cardiomyopathy is when the heart muscle becomes weak and enlarged, which makes it hard to pump blood through the body. Treatment may include medicine, surgery, implanted devices in the heart to help with blood flow and prevent arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat), and sometimes a heart transplant.

By understanding their challenges and supporting their needs, educators can help students with cardiomyopathy do their best in school.

Challenges for Students With Cardiomyopathy

Students with cardiomyopathy may:

• have problems such as fast breathing or shortness of breath
• have a bluish coloring of the skin
• faint
• tire easily or need to avoid activities that take a lot of effort
• need to carry a water bottle to stay hydrated or stay indoors on hot days
• have a special diet
• need extra time to go to and from classes
• need to go the bathroom a lot if they're taking a diuretic (medicine that gets rid of fluid from the body)
• need to use supplemental oxygen
• have an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) or pacemaker. If so, they might not be able to play contact sports or do other activities.
• wear a ventricular assistive device (VAD) to help with circulation
• need to go to the school nurse for medicines
• miss class time to see cardiologists (heart specialists) or other care providers
• have developmental delays or learning problems

What Educators Can Do

• Talk to your student and their family about whether it’s OK for other students to know the cardiomyopathy. Some students may want privacy and don't want to talk about the condition. Others may feel more open about it and may even want to teach their classmates about it.
• If your student has an individualized education program (IEP), help them get the services outlined in it.
• Understand any restrictions your student has.
• Be sure the school nurse and anyone who works with your student know what to do if any medical issues happen at school, such as shortness of breath or fainting.
• Get cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training (most states require teachers to be trained in CPR).
• If your school has an automated external defibrillator (AED), know where it is and how to use it.
• Support your student’s learning with a tutor, if needed.
• Students with cardiomyopathy may miss class time or be absent due to doctor visits and hospital stays. To help your student succeed in school, you can:
  • Give them extra time to finish schoolwork.
  • Let them do fewer assignments.
  • Let them make up missed assignments and tests.
  • Give take-home or online tests, if needed.
• Make sure your student with cardiomyopathy knows they can:
  • leave the classroom as needed, without asking, to go to the restroom or to the nurse
  • carry a water bottle
  • get help with carrying things and use the elevator while moving between classes
• Help build your student’s confidence by recognizing and appreciating their strengths — in reading, math, drama, art, or whatever they enjoy. 
• Provide support. If you think it might help, talk to your student and their family about counseling options in school or in the community. Some school districts don’t require parents’ permission for a student to see a counselor at school while others do. Check your local school district’s policies.