Social Skills to Manage Illness

Everyone experiences illness from time to time, whether it’s a runny nose, a sore throat, or a stomach ache. It’s important when you’re not feeling well to take care of yourself and manage your symptoms to ensure that you have a full recovery and minimize the spread of germs to other people. Teaching your students the social skills to manage illness and practice good health hygiene will help them prioritize wellness and maintain healthy habits.

What do I do if I feel sick?

Sometimes when we’re feeling sick we’re not sure what we need to make us feel better or who to turn to for help. Teaching your students what to do when they are feeling the symptoms of illness can help them when they’re under the weather. Check out these 5 simple guidelines for how to handle illness:

Cover your coughs and sneezes by using the crook of your arm (elbow) and/or a tissue. Covering your mouth and nose will keep germs from spreading. Throw used tissues away as soon as they’ve been used to dispose of spreadable germs.
Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Anytime you sneeze, blow your nose, or cough and think you may have germs on your hands you should wash them just to be sure.
If you’re feeling really unwell, you should stay home from school and/or work. Rest is an important part of recovery and can also help prevent the spread of germs.
Don’t share any personal items like water bottles, food, toys, pencils, etc. as they may have germs on them that could get others sick.
Ask an adult for help if you’re not feeling well. Maybe you started the day feeling well but now you have a stomach ache or feel nauseated. Make sure to tell a trusted adult who can get you help, whether it’s going to the school nurse to lie down, calling your parents to go home, or getting you a tissue.

The social skills learning module materials contain activities and materials that reinforce these principles to help students learn how to handle illnesses when they aren’t feeling well.

The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute’s special education consultant, Andee Morris, M.Ed.

PowerPoint Presentations:

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Facilitator’s Guide

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick PowerPoint Presentation

Resource Materials:

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Outline

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Mini Schedule

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Parent Note

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Teacher Note

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Magnet Cards

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Homework

I Know What to Do When I’m Sick Word Search Activity