Going back to school is an exciting time for a child. Full of new friends, school bus rides and team sports, no one wants to be left out. However, for the parent of a child with health issues, like diabetes or life-threatening allergies, it's a stressful time. It may seem there's nothing you can do to ensure your child has what he needs in the unlikely event of a life-threatening emergency, but you can do plenty!

Find a Preschool Willing to Work With You

Meet with the director to find out what the school routinely does for children with health issues. It's likely they manage lunch-time food allergies by seating an allergic child with kids who aren't eating the things he's allergic to. It's also likely they wash down the tables with warm, soapy water and supervise the kids in hand washing after lunch. Many schools believe it's important that all kids in a class be able to eat the snack for special celebrations. To make this happen, they consult with the parents of kids with dietary issues and designate specific treats for celebrations. Parents then choose from the list. Many preschools provide a snack. If they want to serve something your child can eat but also want you to read the label first while still being able to decide upon the snack that day, offer to go in on a regular basis and do a "label check." Reading the labels on the snacks for your child's class ahead of time and putting a green sticker on the nutrition panel of anything that's "safe" gives the teachers maximum flexibility while allowing your child to safely join in.

Meet With the Grade School Principal

Sending a severely allergic or diabetic child off on the bus to a building filled with several hundred kids and adults who are not at all familiar with him is a frightening experience. The greatest fear of most parents in this situation is that their child will need immediate medical attention, and the adults in charge won't realize it. Meet with the principal and find out what they routinely do for kids like yours. Chances are they have a protocol in place that will meet your child's needs. Brainstorm for ways to fill any gaps. It may be that the early primary grades have snacks in the classroom. If children work at various desks throughout the day or share keyboards and manipulatives, it may be necessary to keep things that are dangerous to your child out of the classroom. Offer to make a list of "safe" snacks that parents can choose from, followed up by a "label check" like the one you did in preschool. Be sure to include things on the list that your child can eat but may not like; the list is to meet his legitimate needs, not to turn him into a snack tyrant. Also check with the art and science teachers to see if the materials they use are "safe" for your child. Provide a substitute when necessary. Introduce yourself to the bus driver. Give him an Info Card and ask how he communicates with the school in an emergency.

Attend a Staff Meeting

If the principal agrees, attend a staff meeting where you can tell the adults in your child's daily life a bit about him. Be sure to include the signals of a reaction, what to do immediately and what to tell the paramedics when they arrive. Pass around a photo so you're comfortable that the staff will recognize your child. Stay calm and be reassuring; you do this every day but for many of them it may be new.

Make an Info Card

You can make one of these sanity savers using a jumbo postcard, a 3"x3" photo of your child and a printer. On the front of the card, print your child's name, the list of things he is to avoid, the signs of a reaction, the agreed-upon location of any medication at the facility and your emergency numbers. On the back, list the steps to be taken when administering any medication before calling 911, as well as what to tell the dispatcher at 911. Ask that the Info Cards go to every teacher and staff member in the building, as well as into the substitute folders.

Check With the Food Service Parent Liaison

Buying lunch is a rite of passage. Your child is going to want to do it, too. Contact the school lunch department and speak to the parent liaison. That person will be able to discuss specific ingredients in the items offered. Many counties also have strict practices that ensure against cross contamination. Remember that whatever they tell you is not a guarantee; they're relying on what's on the labels they're reading.

Speak to Coaches/Instructors at the Start of the Season/Class

Introduce yourself to the adult in charge and tell her about your child's health issue. Check the ingredients of anything that will be used or served. Tell her the same things you told the teachers — about how to know there's a problem that requires medical help and what to do in an emergency. Have your child carry a fully charged cell phone with your numbers programmed in or included in the case, along with an Info Card. If the other parents are staying for practice or the class, you can easily join them. If not, show the adult the Info Card and offer to stay nearby if she's hesitant.

Trust Your Instincts

If you find that you are just not comfortable with the response you're getting from the responsible adult, remember that you have options. You can volunteer to help out. You can offer to stay nearby until the adult is comfortable with your child's health issues. You can even decide to skip the activity entirely.

Relax

You've got everything in place for your child. He's off to the start of a wonderful school year. Relax!