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Medical
Back To School Tips
Many of us have been busy these past few weeks getting
our kids ready for the school year. If your child is one
of the 6.5 million kids in the U.S. being treated for a
chronic medical condition such as asthma or diabetes,
your preparation involves more than new backpacks
and glue sticks.
Keep tabs on the supply:
If the medication will be stored at school,
check often to ensure there is an adequate
supply so there are no missed doses. Make
sure the medication stays in its original
container and label.
School
·Staff
Know how your child will receive
the medication:
Will he or she be expected to report
to a certain place at a certain time,
or will she be called to do so? What
is the policy for field trips?
If your child uses an epi pen.
it’s important to make sure they have one
for home and one for school. Ask your doctor
to indicate on the actual prescription
that the two injectors are for home and for
school, so that in case of a life-threatening
anaphylactic reaction, the school can be
prepared.
Know your school’s rules:
Who is allowed to administer
medication, and who fills in if the
person is absent? Is your child
allowed to carry the medicine
and take it without supervision?
Provide clear instructions:
Prepare a typed list of all medications with
warnings and storage requirements. Also
include an action plan school staff can
refer to in an emergency. Make sure your
child, teachers and the appropriate school
administrator have current copies.
Juvenile diabetes
Your school nurse should be familiar
with both type 1 and type 2
diabetes. Your child’s school should
have a refrigerator to store insulin
vials or pens, if needed, as well as
staff trained in diabetes care.
Get vaccinated.
Flu vaccines are recommended for everyone
six months and older, and vaccinations
can reduce illness and keep the
flu from catching—especially in environments
like schools where germs can
spread quickly.
Keep your child informed:
A.M. game plan:
Your child should be aware of the
School mornings can be hectic, so
basics of his condition – signs of
try to integrate the morning dose
an allergic reaction, a flare-up or
into the morning routine. Also
side effects of the medication. Your
have a back-up plan in place if that
child should know proper dosages
morning dose is missed and your
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and be aware of when and how
child needs to take it at school.
often he is supposed to take it.
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