If your child has any significant medical needs, please notify the nurse even if the school has been notified in previous school years. If your child has asthma, diabetes, seizures, life-threatening allergies, or other medical conditions, you and the physician will need to complete a form so the school can understand and address your child's needs. These forms are available on the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Web site .these forms must be updated each school year. 

· School-Sponsored After-School Activities and Sports

If your child has diabetes, an epinephrine auto-injector, an inhaler, or other emergency medication at school, please notify the teacher/sponsor that your child has the health concern. Also notify the nurse 1-2 weeks prior to the event. The clinic is closed after dismissal and the nurse is not in the building. Arrangements need to be made to have medication available and to train staff. It is strongly suggested that high school students carry their own inhaler and/or epinephrine auto-injector for quick access to medication. For students to carry an inhaler, the physician must complete and sign the “Asthma Action Plan,”  giving his/her permission for the student to carry the inhaler, and the parent and student must sign the “Parent/Student Agreement for Permission to Carry an Inhaler,” . For students with an epinephrine auto-injector, the physician will need to sign the form and the parent and student will need to sign form under “Agreement for Permission to Self-Administer and/or Carry Epinephrine.” For students with diabetes to carry any of their medical supplies, the diabetes form, Part 4: “Permission to Self-Carry and Self-Administer Diabetes Care,” needs to be signed by the physician, parent, and student.

· If your child is ill because of a contagious disease such as the flu, strep throat, chickenpox, etc., it would be helpful to note the reason for the absence when you call the absentee call-line. This will help the school take measures to know the extent of the disease and reduce its spread.

· Students who have fevers should be kept at home until free of fever for 24 hours. Students who do not feel well should stay home. When students come to school ill, they not only are unable to participate fully in class, but they may also infect other students with their illness.

· A parent or guardian must deliver any medication (prescription or non-prescription) to the school office or clinic. Students may not transport any medication to or from school. Parents are responsible for picking up any unused medication.

· If your child takes a prescription medication and missing a dose would have serious health consequences (seizure medication, insulin, etc.), it is strongly suggested that a 24-hour supply of the medication be left in the school clinic in case of a prolonged school day. The medication must be in an original pharmacy-labeled bottle and have a physician's order on file in the clinic. The order must give the times during the 24-hour period that the medication is to be administered.

· The nurse must have written instructions from the physician in order to administer prescription medications. The instructions should include:

• student's name;
• name and purpose of the medication;
• dosage and time of administration;
• possible side effects and measures to take if those occur;
• end date for administering the medication;
• parent's signature giving permission to administer medication and to contact physician, and physician's signature; and
• a specific “Authorization for Medication Administration” form should be used for physician's orders. Copies of this form as well as other medical forms are available in the school office or at the LCPS websitefor Student Health Services. 

• · All prescription medication must be in the original pharmacy bottle with the proper label containing the student's name, medication, dosage, and instructions for administration. Upon request, most pharmacies will provide an extra bottle with the proper amount of medication for school. Please do not send more than a 60-day supply of medication.

· If the nurse needs to administer non-prescription medication:

• it must be provided by the parent/guardian in an original package with the name of the medication and instructions;
• she must have a note from the parent regarding when and how much medication to administer;
• she will only give the amount listed on the package for your child's age and weight and for the recommended length of time the student should receive the medication unless she has doctor's orders on the “Authorization for Medication Administration” form to dispense differently; and
• she cannot administer medication that is not in its original container.

· For the nurse to give acetaminophen (generic Tylenol) to your child, you must have completed the section on the emergency card that gives permission and sign it. Parents/guardians of elementary students will be contacted before any acetaminophen is given in order to assure that it has not been given at home. Because acetaminophen can cause liver damage in large amounts over a period of time, high school students may only receive four doses of acetaminophen in a four-week period. Before a fifth dose is given, the parent/guardian will be contacted.

· Be sure to keep the “Emergency Information” updated so we can reach you if your child is ill or injured. This can easily be done on-line through the Parent Information Management System
· All  10^th grade students and students new to LCPS will be screened for vision and hearing during the first 60 days of school.