Newark, NJ -- Every day, in every school, children with special health needs require medications, treatments or adaptations to their environment. According to the Department of Education, students with intensive or complex medical conditions, such as epilepsy, hemophilia or asthma, should have individual Medical Action Plans that gives specific instructions for coordinating care and can be given to all appropriate school personnel. These plans reduce family anxiety by thinking ahead about potential problems.
Getting Started
First, work with your child's physician to write a personalized Medical Action Plan, including step-by-step instructions for preventing and handling medical emergencies.
Next, meet with your child’s school nurse who will assist in carrying out your plan of care, treatment goals and communication of your child’s progress. The school nurse can develop school-specific emergency care plans and coordinate medications and treatment for the school setting. A copy of the Medical Action Plan should be kept in school files and be available to those who may need to use it. General emergency procedures may need to be kept in the classroom as well.
"Planning is the key to overcoming panic," says Timothy S. Yeh, MD, FAAP, FCCM, Chairman of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief, at the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. "A written plan can give you and your child the confidence that medical problems will be addressed promptly and correctly.”
Cover the Basics
Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center recommends that every child's Medical Action Plan include, when relevant:
- information on the student's medical condition.
- symptoms and consequences of the condition.
- indicators of the need for medical intervention.
- contact people and phone numbers (such as medical practitioner and parents).
- clear instructions to cover all foreseeable circumstances including management in class, and out in the yard, and management on excursions or school camps.
- emergency procedures.
- specific information about medication including administration and storage, timing, dosage and possible side effects.
- relevant forms and written advice from medical practitioners and parents regarding the medical treatment of the student.
- any specific instructions on meal management.
- the people responsible for particular actions.
Individualize it to the Condition
Each medical condition will have its own specialized descriptions. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends that families with asthmatic children have a school plan that includes:
- The child’s asthma triggers.
- Instructions for asthma medicines.
- What to do if the child has an asthma attack.
- When to call your doctor.
- Emergency telephone numbers.
Keep an updated action plan within reach
Keep your child's Medical Action Plan handy. Make sure your child and everyone who cares for him or her — including grandparents and baby sitters — know where to find it. Keep another copy in your wallet or purse, in case a medical problem occurs away from home.
Be sure to update the plan as medical needs change. In the case of a change of medication that must be administered at school, written authorization should be provided by the medical practitioner. Each Medical Action Plan should be reviewed annually, unless circumstances change, or when the student's medical condition changes significantly.
Who Should Know
All Medical Action Plans should take into account issues of confidentiality and privacy to ensure that personal information about individual students is treated with respect. Judgment should be made about who has a 'need to know' the information in the plan. In some situations this will only be staff directly involved with the student, while in others all staff will need to be aware of the plan so that they can take action if necessary.
Stay in touch with your Child's Doctor
Even with the best action plan, you may still have questions about handling a medical problem. Call your child's physician should you have any concerns.
About Children's Hospital
Children's Hospital is the state's premier hospital caring for children, with specialized services to treat ill and injured children from newborn to adolescent years as well as preventive programs that promote wellness in the community. Children's Hospital of New Jersey is an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, the largest integrated health care delivery system in the state. The hospital's comprehensive inpatient and outpatient pediatric services include a licensed cardiac surgery program, state-designated regional perinatal center, the state’s largest pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric emergency department, Neonatal Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)/Apnea Center, Valerie Fund Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, neonatal ICU with New Jersey's only ECMO unit, HIV/AIDS treatment for children as well as a sexual and child abuse program.
For a referral to a pediatrician or pediatric specialist,
please call 1-888-SBHS-123
DATE: July 30, 2007
CONTACT: Beth Salamon, 973-322-4926
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