Classmates and friends can be a huge help to sick or injured children by giving them support and encouragement and helping them feel connected.

• Encourage visits (if appropriate), cards, and phone calls from classmates.

• Make sure the visiting children are prepared for what they will see at the hospital. Tell their parents, “Joey will have a tube in his nose,” or “Carrie’s skin will be puffy.”

• Ask the teacher to send the school newspaper and other news along with assignments.

• Classmates can sign a brightly colored banner to send to the hospital.

• The teacher or principal can put the entire class on a speaker-phone to chat with their classmate.