And it's Back to School time!! yahoo!!

So, here we go. Summer is winding down and it's back to school time. Finally! 

We just went to Back to School Night for daughter Kitty. Oh what fun! A night of wandering around the school, visiting all 8 teachers and picking up disclosure forms.

The halls are full of families all doing the same thing. 

What's the one thing that Kitty's teachers need to know about her? Asthma. 

They need to know that she's having a lot of flare ups with her asthma, and that she made need to leave class to use her inhaler. (Did you know that it's legal in all 50 states for students to carry their inhaler with them - at all times?) And every state (except New York) allows students to carry an Epi Pen with them at all times. 

BUT you need to talk to your doctor and the school nurse. As a health care team, you have to agree if your student can "self administer" their inhaler. That means that your child knows when they are having an asthma attack and they know how to use their inhaler by themselves. Some of the younger students may not be able to do that yet. 

But older students can carry their inhaler with them and use it when they need it. Check with your school nurse, because you will have to fill out a form that you and the doctor sign that makes it legal for them to have an inhaler in a "drug free zone." Every school district has a form that they like to use, your school nurse should have a copy of that.

Otherwise, they can violate the school's "drug free policy." You will have to fill out a new form every school year to make it legal for your child to carry their asthma inhaler and Epi pen. But do know that it is legal IN ALL 50 STATES! In fact, here is a small poster you can print out and take to your school to let them know about it.   

If you want a copy of the law for your state, you can find it here. 

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, it has a link for each state. You can click on your state and print out a copy for yourself (and one for the school.) Schools should know about this, since all states have passed Self Administration Laws. The last states were in 2010.  

So, the papers are signed, school supplies are bought, and it's time to enjoy the last weekend before school. 

See ya!