There are so many career options out there. It may be overwhelming for your child to imagine where they will end up in the years to come. Observe your child’s talents and activity preferences. Take note of the amount of time your child spends on favorite activities. Begin to see how careers could come from those interests. Encourage your child to participate in related hobbies and activities.

It may be helpful to ask your child some questions about their interests and activities. Your child’s answers can help you find their strengths and goals. You may be able to put these into your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). When your child’s interests are in the IEP, teachers will be better prepared to help. They can choose classes, activities, support services, and training programs that match your child’s interests.

For more information, go to Your Rights: Legislation and School Accommodation.

Some questions you might ask your child:

• What activities do you enjoy most at school?
• What activities do you enjoy after school?
• What do you do well?
• What do you like most about yourself?
• What do you like about your personality?
• What activities would build your strengths and talents?
• What event has affected your life?
  • How did this event affect you?
  • Did the event change the way you see the world or other people?
  • Did the event affect what you want to do as a career?
• What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?
• What worries you about the future?

What kind of education will your child need to get on the right career path? Colleges, universities, and technical schools are all options after high school. Whatever path your child chooses, encourage hard work and effort. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 Accommodation Plan will ensure that your child gets necessary accommodations. These plans can help with a set of books for both home and school or extra time to make up for missed schoolwork in case of a bleed.

Encourage your child to participate in volunteer activities, either within the bleeding disorders community or with others. Your child can volunteer at organizations like the public library or an animal rescue group. These activities give children an opportunity to build work skills and see how organizations are run. They can apply these activities to future work and list newly developed skills on their resumes.

College can be expensive, but if you start planning and saving early it may help with the costs. It's not too early when your child is in middle school to begin researching schools that specialize in your child’s interests.

• Start learning about different financial aid programs and scholarships from your child’s school counselors.
  • Explore academic and community service scholarships.
  • Check out some of the special scholarships for individuals with bleeding disorders or other chronic conditions. There are scholarships for kids with talents in areas like music or art.
• Attend financial planning or how to pay for college workshops that are offered at your child’s school or in your community.
• Visit colleges and talk with their financial aid counselors. You can also talk to current students and their families about the different ways they've found to pay for school.

There are more than 4,000 higher learning schools in the United States. Whether your child wants to be an astrophysicist or a zookeeper, there are lots of choices available.

Below you can learn more about the different school options.

Technical School

• A two-year college that prepares you for some types of employment. These types include culinary arts, computer sciences, or automotive engineering.

Community College

• A school offering a 2-year course of study. These schools grant an associate’s degree, certificate, or diploma.
• Some students transfer to a 4-year school for a bachelor’s degree after graduating from a community college.

Liberal Arts College

• Often a 4-year undergraduate institution offering a bachelor’s degree. These smaller schools focus on humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
• Some liberal arts colleges are 4-year programs. Others offer graduate degree programs.

University

• A school with programs for both undergraduate and graduate studies. Graduate studies may involve teaching and research. Some may have professional schools like law or medicine.

Graduate School

• A 1- to 3-year university program offering either a master’s degree, professional degree, or a doctorate degree.
• Doctorate degrees (also known as a doctorate of philosophy, or PhD) are the highest academic degrees in the United States. Doctorate degrees are based around research in areas like law, education, or philosophy.
• Graduate education also includes professional studies in areas like law (JD), medicine (MD), or dentistry (DDS).

Support your child’s dreams by planning ahead.

Here are a few simple things you can do:

• Talk positively about continuing education beyond high school. Support your child’s ambitions. You have a huge influence on your child at this age.
• Encourage your child’s strengths and talents. Steer your child into activities that match their interests. Encourage your child to take part in academic enrichment programs (including summer and weekend programs). These are available through school or local colleges. Encourage participation in extracurricular activities like volunteering, clubs, and sports.
• If your child hopes to go to college, work with their teachers and counselors to get your child on track. Explore electives and extracurricular activities that will enhance your child’s talents. Look over the Individualized Education Program (IEP) with the school staff to be certain your child is on the right track to meet their goals. Think about having your child enroll in honors courses or other accelerated classes. Help your child to choose electives that stretch the mind and help develop new abilities.

For more information, please go to Your Rights: Legislation and School Accommodation.

• Encourage your child to read. Reading is great preparation for standardized school admission tests. It teaches vocabulary, comprehension, and concentration. Make it fun! Work on vocabulary by having a family word-of-the-day. Visit your local library or bookstore.
• Promote good organization and study skills. Create a welcoming and comfortable area in the home for schoolwork. Stock it with fun pens, pencils, paper, and pads. Make sure it is well lit and quiet. Select a certain time of day for homework and make it a routine. Turn off the TV, music, and non-essential devices like phones or games to avoid distractions. Ask your child how they know what homework is due when. You can ask them about how they organize their time to start conversations on organization and time management.

Whether your child decides to go to a college or other type of school away from home, they should learn as much as possible about their bleeding or blood disorder. Your child will need to know how and when to treat and where to get medicine or supplies. They will need to know who to go to for care and what to do in case of emergency. Taking steps to help your child manage their disorder will help them become independent.

To learn more, please visit Your Role in Treatment.