How to Ensure Your Child’s School is Prepared for His or Her Medical Conditions
Sending your child off to school is a scary and exciting time for parents. You hope that they will make friends, pay attention in class, and stay out of trouble, all while still learning and enjoying themselves. But for parents who have a child with a medication condition, back to school time presents its own set of fears. To help calm those pre-school jitters, here are a few ways to ensure you and your child are prepared for the school year ahead.
Before the school year starts, read the student handbook to make sure you’re following the guidelines set by your child’s school or school district. Often times you might need to send in a signed notice to your school nurse’s office, giving them permission to give your child medication. You also will likely need to bring in the medication in person, in the prescription container with your child’s name and the physician’s licensed name clearly labeled on the bottle. Keep in mind that the medication you bring to school will need to be left there, so make sure that you have a supply intended for home and school. These guidelines would probably be sufficient for conditions that aren’t life threatening, such as if your child is taking ADHD medication.
For students with life-threatening illnesses such as diabetes or severe allergies, there are often different protocols involved. Your physician might need to certify that your child has a life-threatening illness. They might also need to certify that your child knows the proper dosage of medication to take in the event of the emergency and that they know how to administer the medication. In this situation, parents may be required to sign a statement acknowledging the school district is not liable in the event that a student experiences an injury while self-administering their medication.
If your child does have an existing medical condition that would require immediate action (diabetes, asthma, allergies), something you should add to your back to school shopping list would be an updated medical ID bracelet that not only identifies your child’s condition, but also gives an explanation of what to do in the event of an emergency. Hope Paige offers medical ID jewelry great for kids and adults alike, so your child will be able to find a style they like (even if they’re in those tricky teenage years).
With the proper amount of preparation, you can send your child off to school this year knowing they (and school officials) have everything they need in case of an emergency. Always be sure to check the guidelines for your school district specifically so you can ensure that your child has everything they need.
