Abstract
Recently, it is generally said that children with muscular dystrophy (MD) tend to enroll in mainstream schools rather than special needs schools in Japan. However, it is not always clear the actual enrollment status of children with MD. Furthermore, this hasn't been considered enough either, although it is considered that the decline in children with MD in special needs schools is influenced by the total number of children with MD. Therefore, we attempted to clarify what kinds of schools children with MD attend, taking into account changes in the total number of them. Additionally, we aimed to examine issues related to the school enrollment of children with MD. As a result, it was suggested that children with MD enrolled not only in special needs schools but also in mainstream schools, and the number of births of children with MD may not have decreased significantly so far. We estimated that changes in the total number of children with MD may haven't had a significant impact on the decrease in their numbers in special needs schools. Additionally, this survey showed that teachers encounter difficulties in providing educational support for children with MD who face daily experiences of loss. In order to enhance the education for children with MD, it will be necessary not only to adjust the environment, but also to consider the psychological characteristics of children with MD and the appropriate support for them, and to broaden knowledge to schools.
