How do I teach my child medical self-advocacy?

The first thing our kids need to understand is that it’s appropriate and acceptable for them to participate in discussions with their doctors, and that it’s encouraged for them to ask their own questions. It’s important from a very early age to create the expectation that they will be talked with instead of about. Taking ownership over their own medical care sets the stage for later medication management as well.

As many of us may have learned (or are still learning) from toilet-training, consent is essential to build skills that lead to independence — so we need to involve our kids in the learning process.

For more information about this topic, check out our article Teaching Functional Life Skills: Disability & Medical Self-Advocacy.