6 important “must do’s” if your child takes medication during school hours.  Plus special information for parents and guardians of children with asthma or diabetes.

“My Child’s Health Needs to Be Monitored and He Must Take Medication Daily”

Frankly, this can be a huge worry – for you and your child.  Here are 7 steps to ensure your child is getting the care he needs.

R        Notify the school and his teacher(s) about your child’s condition.

R        Put it in writing and give a copy to everyone who works with your child.  This is very important, as the school can flag your child as having a medical condition.

R        Make sure that all medical forms and parent/guardian contact information are up to date in your child’s records.

R        You may want to call the school counselor, since some schools have programs to help children manage health conditions such as asthma or diabetes.

R        Ask for and fill out the appropriate medical form giving permission to a trained staff person or school nurse to administer the medication to your child during the school day.

R        Make sure you have provided the medication to the appropriate school official for safe storage.

R        Have the person in charge of the medication contact you when the supply begins to get low.

Talk to your child about this plan.  Make sure he understands that if he does not feel well, he should go to the office.  Impress upon him that he must be responsible for how his body is feeling and to speak up right away.

MY CHILD HAS ASTHMA

Catching an asthma attack at an early stage can make a big difference in reducing its severity. You may want to go to the school and talk with the administration about the procedures they follow when an attack occurs. Bring in informative brochures for the staff to keep. Insist that you be called the minute your child has an attack. Make sure that all appropriate school officials know about your child’s medical condition and that all emergency contact numbers are kept current. Your child’s comfort in knowing that such procedures are in place will remove much unnecessary anxiety, which some doctors believe contribute to asthma attacks.        

MY CHILD HAS DIABETES

Make sure your child knows the physiological signs that necessitate some food or medicine. Have your child keep an appropriate snack in his or her backpack. Ask the school about special programs. Many districts now have training workshops for school personnel that provide information on diabetes. Call the school district to see if such training exists, and if it does, request that someone from your child’s school attend that workshop. Also, check with the school and the local school board about their policies on diabetic children, and make sure you and the school are following the correct procedures.