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Devin uses a glucose meter to check his blood sugar. He brings a kit Dru Sgarlato and her son, Devin Dunn, look through a kit of supplies that monitor and adjust his glucose levels. Devin, 6, has juvenile diabetes, and he and his school nurse have to be prepared to manage his condition. |
BY DONYA CURRIE
FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR
Kayla Geller and Devin Dunn are like the thousands of area kids returning to school in the next week or two, but along with new pencils, notebooks and scissors, they'll go back with specialized medical plans designed to keep them healthy and safe at school.
Devin, 6, heads to first grade wearing an insulin pump to manage his Type 1 diabetes, and Kayla, 7, has an asthma inhaler on hand in the school nurse's office in case she has breathing difficulty during the school day.
Their parents have filled out paperwork detailing each child's medical needs, and the paperwork is kept on file at school. Most importantly, school officials say, there's an open dialogue among the parents, the school nurse, each child's teacher and the school administration.
Communication is critical when a child's medical condition needs monitoring at school, said Kathy Whitby, school nurse manager for Stafford County public schools.
"We're not really control freaks," Whitby said. "We just want to understand what's best for the students and how to get there."
Every local school system has specific forms and policies to help children with special medical needs.
The most common ailment school nurses deal with is asthma, said Whitby. But there are kids such as Devin who have diabetes, and others with life-threatening allergies, just to name two of the other health concerns that often crop up on school grounds.
DOING THEIR HOMEWORK
Communication with the parents is important at every grade level, Whitby said. While high school might seem a time when students can take care of their own medical needs, for example, that's exactly when some need more supervision, she said.
The transition from childhood to adolescence can be a trying time for any student, and those with medical concerns sometimes need extra support, Whitby said.
No matter what a student's age, parents have to be their child's advocates.
"We have open communication with the school, and the teachers are very perceptive," Kayla Geller's father, Todd Geller, said about the staff at Hartwood Elementary in Stafford County.
Kayla's asthma is a tricky case because she doesn't require medication daily but can suffer a flare-up, especially during cold and flu season.
Her parents feel it's important for teachers to know the signs of breathing difficultly that signal that Kayla needs her inhaler. If the teachers were unaware, and her parents couldn't count on them to help when needed, Kayla's parents would have to keep her home each time she caught a cold--a typical asthma trigger for her. Todd Geller estimates his daughter would miss about 10 days of school each year if it weren't for the good communication between his family and school staff.
Devin Dunn's mother went a step further than the typical school medication plan by arranging a 504 plan, which is a legal document spelling out what the school and parent are supposed to do to help manage a child's medical condition. Such plans can also be in place for children with physical or learning disabilities.
Devin's plan calls for unlimited access to the restroom, for example, and unlimited water, both of which help his body maintain a healthy blood sugar level. The plan also spells out how many times a day Devin's blood sugar level needs to be tested.
Devin's mother, Dru Sgarlato, sends a log book to the school nurse, who records Devin's blood sugar levels and the amount and types of snacks he eats throughout the day.
Sgarlato said she has worked hard to partner with her son's school, including regularly checking in with his teachers and school staff.
"That teamwork is critical," Sgarlato said. "Communication is key."
trying to ease worries
Sgarlato also does things to ease her worry, such as accompanying Devin on every school field trip--even though his 504 plan stipulates that if she can't go, the school will provide someone trained and experienced to meet his medical needs.
She also put in a request before the end of last school year to ask for a teacher she could communicate with easily about Devin.
Kayla's parents said time has helped them feel less worried about their daughter's medical issues during the school day.
"From past years' experience, we have every confidence this year will run smoothly," said her mother, Carrol Geller.
Donya Currie is a freelance writer
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Caroline County public schools: caroline.k12.va.us/education; click on "Support Services" then "Health Services" Fredericksburg public schools: cityschools.com/cityschools/Health_Services/Index.html King George County public schools: kgcs.k12.va.us/forms/index .htm Spotsylvania County public schools: spotsylvania.k12.va.us/healthweb/index.htm Stafford County public schools: stafford.schoolfusion.us; click on "Health Services" under "Administrative Departments." |
| Nationally, nearly 11 percent of all schoolchildren have asthma, and the American Lung Association recently issued tips and a checklist for parents to prepare for the coming school year. Here's what parents should do to keep their children well:
1) Schedule asthma checkups. 2) Confirm that medications are up-to-date, and fill prescriptions. 3) Know about prescription assistance services. Two organizations help provide asthma medications to those in financial need. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance can be reached at 888/477-2669, pparx.org, and Rx Outreach provides information at rxoutreach .com. 4) Have an asthma action plan. All students with asthma should have a written asthma action plan detailing personal information about symptoms, medications and physical activity limitations as well as instructions about what to do if an attack doesn't improve with prescribed medication. 5) Visit your child's school nurse and teachers. Discuss specific triggers and typical symptoms to help school personnel be prepared to help. 6) Advocate for your child. Find out what needs to be done to allow your child to carry and use an inhaler, for example. 7) Know your school's asthma emergency plan. Parents should know a school's history of dealing with asthma episodes and confirm that school staff members have been trained in responding to asthma emergencies. For more on asthma and children, visit lungusa.org |
