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Helping Your Child Be Healthy and Fit:
Parents and the School
Source: U.S. Department of Education
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The school can be a vital link to your child's
well-being. So much of your child's life is spent in school,
it
is important that you be aware of all the people and situations
involved. Besides the school nurse (who
may not be at the school full time), there are many resources
you can call on.
Teachers are aware of the whole child and things that might
be
getting in the way of your child's learning. School counselors
can advise on your child's social and emotional well-being.
Many school counselors concentrate on helping children build
self-esteem, and some work with groups of children with similar
problems, such as coping with a divorce or death in the family.
Physical education classes provide an opportunity for exercise,
and they foster teamwork. The school cafeteria is a source
of
well-balanced lunches (and breakfasts in some school
districts), many of which are government-subsidized for low
income students. The principal and teacher can advise on
special services provided by the school district for children
with handicaps and special learning needs.
The most important thing you can do is stay in contact with
the school, especially your child's teacher.
Listen carefully to the teacher, because the teacher will often
spot problems or warning signs of serious
trouble before you might notice them.
It is also important for you to tell
the teacher if your child has a serious health problem
or is experiencing
an emotional crisis at home. It is imperative for the school
to know if your child is on medication and
what it is, who should be contacted in case of an emergency,
and what to look for in your child's behavior
that might be a warning sign of the onset of a medical
emergency.
Your child's welfare is a partnership between the parent
and the school. If a serious medical condition
exists, private or community health services should be
consulted. |
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What can you expect of the school?
The following information has been adapted from Managing Asthma:
A Guide for Schools, published by
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S.
Department of Education.
The Principal should:
- Give parents a clear policy on taking medication during school
hours.
- Provide opportunities for staff to learn about medical emergencies.
- Establish a resource file on health issues for teachers
and staff to read.
- Schedule building repairs, cleaning, or painting when students
are out of the building during vacations or the summer.
The School nurse should:
- Maintain health records on all students with chronic diseases.
- Alert staff members about students with serious health conditions.
- Inform parents if they suspect a serious health problem.
- Administer medication according to school policy.
- Work with the parent/teacher organization to provide educational
programs on medical conditions that affect a large number of
students.
The teacher should:
- Know the early waning signs of a medical emergency.
- Develop a clear procedure for handling schoolwork missed
due to illness.
- Understand the side effects of medication, for example,
drowsiness, anxiety, withdrawal.
- Educate classmates about special medical conditions of students
in the class, while respecting confidentiality.
- Reduce health hazards in the classroom.
- Encourage students with health problems to participate in
classroom activities as much as possible.
- Allow a student to do quiet activities if a medical condition
prevents full participation.
About MINES & Associates
For over 25 years MINES & Associates has
been a nationally recognized business psychology firm that
provides a variety of services to corporate employers including
employee assistance programs (EAP), managed mental healthcare,
organizational development and psychology services, wellness
programs, behavioral risk management, disease management, PPO
services, and a number of other technology based services.
MINES & Associates is divided into two main divisions,
Organizational Psychology and Health Psychology, and currently
serves a diverse portfolio of clients in all 50 states, Canada,
Mexico, and the UK.
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