Attending high school can become increasingly difficult. My symptoms got increasingly worse with the exertions of going to a large high school. I started being late to school from being overly tired or needing to come home early from exhaustion. I also started getting colds and flus more often so by the end of my first semester, I had missed 30% of my classes. Friends and teachers thought that I “didn’t look sick.” While I was generally a good student, it was stressful keeping up with the work after each bout of illness or “crash.”

If your symptoms are starting to affect your ability to attend school and do your work, you might need a 504. Your right to an education is protected by law! Your public school has to help you access your education.

The Federal Government Section 504 covers people if “the physical or mental impairment results in a substantial limitation of one or more major life activities. Major life activities, as defined in the regulation, include functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.”

You can learn more about it here at the US Dept of Education website.

Getting a 504 allowed me to stay in school. I was given access to the elevator so I wouldn’t get so tired going up and down the stairs, access to an office if I needed to lay down, the option to eat in class if I needed to maintain my energy, and more time for homework or exams if I had been out sick.

If your schooling is suffering, ask your school counselor about a 504. You’ll need to get a doctor’s letter describing your diagnosis and the accommodations that they recommend based on your condition. Doctors are experienced at writing these and it’s not unusual to ask. So please do.