Students with health conditions Options

[artisticlicence]

Hi all, I've had an enquiry from a mature student, complete beginner, who wants to learn sax but they tell me they have had major heart surgery, but have been told that they have had the medical go ahead to learn to play. I have a real fear of something going wrong while they are in my lesson....should I be worried? Should I get them to put it in writing that they've been given the okay? Help! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[sbhoa]

As an adult they are responsible for making their own decisions.
I'd take it that if they've been given the go ahead by the doctor why not?
They can tell you if they need to take a break.

[owainsutton]

You're a music teacher, not a health professional. As sbhoa says, it's entirely their decision whether to learn an instrument, or to enter a triathlon, or to smoke a cigar every evening.

[FullofWind]

Might be worth asking him to take up swimming first to see how he copes holding his breath for long periods. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Scooby Doo]

I don't think you need to be unduly alarmed or treat him any differently to your other students.

Have a chair, a glass of water and a telephone readily available, and off you go!

[artisticlicence]

I don't think I can cope with that sort of responsibility (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Jane S]

But it isn't your responsibility! If they have had the OK from their quack, you don't have anything to worry about. Remember, one day it could be you, and would you like to be excluded from an activity which you enjoy? If you really don't want to take them on, then you should really help them to find another teacher. I've taught all sorts of disabled people, and to be honest, it really isn't anything to be frightened of at all. As long as you have a phone to ring for an ambulance, just in case the worst did happen, then you have nothing else to consider. You could always ask them to tell you what to do, if they are taken ill, and then do it!

[dolce@piano]

In France, if you want to do any sort of activity (probably even sax playing) you need a signed doctor's certificate less than 12 months old. It's burdensome, and slightly 'nanny state' but it does give people some reassurance and covers insurance issues, if need be.

Have you met this person ? You might be over-reacting, major heart surgery is pretty common nowadays and he's wanting to blow a bit of sax, not climb Mont Blanc.

You could always give it a go and see.

If you really feel you can;t, then do you know another teacher you could recommend who'd be happy to take him on ?

[artisticlicence]

But it isn't your responsibility! If they have had the OK from their quack, you don't have anything to worry about. Remember, one day it could be you, and would you like to be excluded from an activity which you enjoy? If you really don't want to take them on, then you should really help them to find another teacher. I've taught all sorts of disabled people, and to be honest, it really isn't anything to be frightened of at all. As long as you have a phone to ring for an ambulance, just in case the worst did happen, then you have nothing else to consider. You could always ask them to tell you what to do, if they are taken ill, and then do it!

Hi Jane, I know it isn't my responsibility but struggle to convince myself! I've suffered severe ill health in the past myself (one of the reasons I'm self employed!) so I absolutely know where you're coming from it about being excluded. But my mind just keeps ruminating about how safe it will be for them - I'd never forgive myself if anything happened and would blame myself for letting them do it (just the way my mind works) If they hadn't told me I wouldn't have been any the wiser!

In France, if you want to do any sort of activity (probably even sax playing) you need a signed doctor's certificate less than 12 months old. It's burdensome, and slightly 'nanny state' but it does give people some reassurance and covers insurance issues, if need be.

Have you met this person ? You might be over-reacting, major heart surgery is pretty common nowadays and he's wanting to blow a bit of sax, not climb Mont Blanc.

You could always give it a go and see.

If you really feel you can;t, then do you know another teacher you could recommend who'd be happy to take him on ?

That would give me reassurance! but don't really feel I can ask for that lol! No not met them yet but sounded very nice and very enthusiastic. I do over-react easily (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) maybe I'll phone the MU and just run it by them tomorrow?!

[Scooby Doo]

Nobody can guarantee that a student won't be taken ill during a lesson. Please try to stop worrying about something that may never happen and over which you have no control. Who knows what ghastly health problems your other students may have that they don't choose to tell you about?

[Dugazon]

artisticlicence, I really think you worry too much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
As others said: It is not your responsibility, and nobody expects it to be.

I've had all sorts of people with health conditions over the years, including heart conditions, cancer, epilepsy and Parkinson's. The joy singing gives to them is real and helps with their recovery (or to have a bit of fun while they still can). If their doc says they are fit for it, they probably are.

There's always a risk, but someone who is supposedly healthy can also collapse during your lesson (and you don't constantly worry about teenage girls fainting and therefore don't take them on, do you? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ).

There are of course two things to consider:

1. If you feel it is really too stressful for you - our own fears are also real, even if they don't make "sense". Or take them on for a trial period, have a clear way out, and then decide if you can do it or not.

2. If their health is still a bit fragile. This might have implications on the amount of practice they can put in (then again, a lot of very healthy people never practise, so hey (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) ), and they might also have to cancel at very short notice more often than you like. For that case, you need to have a clear arrangement in place, because we tend to feel bad to charge if someone has a chronic illness. However, we also need to make a living, and the balance can feel hard to strike in cases like this.

I had this problem with a student once, and it became really tricky after a while, because they were often genuinely too sick to attend. And whilst I had a lot of sympathy for their situation, I could simply not afford to keep a slot open for them anymore (they missed roughly 2/3 of their lessons, often with only 30 minutes notice). We tried a different arrangement for a while - they could phone me short-notice to see if I had anything available, but that also didn't work out because even if they booked only one day in advance, they sometimes still couldn't make it the next day. It was very frustrating for both them and me. We both weren't happy with the situation and tried our best, but sometimes it just doesn't work out.

However, this was really an extreme case. I would invite them round for a first lesson, have an honest chat about things, and then see if you can make it work.

Good luck!

[corenfa]

Hi all, I've had an enquiry from a mature student, complete beginner, who wants to learn sax but they tell me they have had major heart surgery, but have been told that they have had the medical go ahead to learn to play. I have a real fear of something going wrong while they are in my lesson....should I be worried? Should I get them to put it in writing that they've been given the okay? Help! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Only replying because I have a friend who had major heart surgery, and is completely active in all respects (we went on a couple of ski trips together) post-surgery. It depends very much on the kind of surgery they had and what condition it was for. My friend is completely "fixed" and though he has to have regular checkups, you could not tell that he had such major heart surgery unless he shows you his scar.

[Tenor Viol]

My colleague in choir (a recently retired consultant paediatrician) had bypass surgery and was back singing in the choir after a very few weeks (5 or 6 I think).

In terms of breath control, sax and singing are very similar. It is their decision. If you are very concerned then you can just have a longer chat with them about it and what constraints their doctor has placed on what they can and can't do.

These days they tend to want you to be as active as possible as quickly as possible.

[sbhoa]

Might be worth asking him to take up swimming first to see how he copes holding his breath for long periods. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

I wasn't aware that playing any wind instrument involved holding your breath. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[artisticlicence]

Thanks for all the replies, feeling a bit more confident about it (I think! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) )

I think I'm worrying because I feel that you really do work your lungs and heart quite hard when playing the sax - I know I do - well lungs anyway! - and I can remember clearly when I first went from flute to sax the resistance of the reed what quite a shock! I suppose I'm imagining all sorts of strain on the old ticker but hopefully I'm wrong! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)