Life-Threatening Health Conditions

What to do when your child has a serious illness or medical concerns that may affect your child at school

For parents of children with serious life-threatening health conditions

If your child has a life-threatening health condition, the following requirements must be met before your child can attend school:

You must supply:

  • The required emergency medication to the school
  • Health care provider orders,
  • An individual health plan, and
  • Any necessary supplies on or before the first day of school

Until these requirements are met, your child will not be able to attend school. If you have any questions, please call Health Services support personnel at our Special Services Office: 425-936-1201.

What is a life-threatening health condition?

A life-threatening health condition puts the child in danger of death during the school day without medication or treatment and a nursing plan in place (see Washington state law RCW 28A.210.320).

Life-threatening health conditions include:
  • Diabetes
  • Severe allergies (bees, peanuts, etc.)
  • Epilepsy/seizure disorder
  • Severe asthma
  • Cardiac/heart conditions

Reporting the condition or illness
Parents/guardians of students with life-threatening conditions must inform the school and work with the school nurse and the student’s health care provider to create a health care plan. Planning ahead helps schools to be equipped and prepared to care for students in emergency health situations.

Parents/guardians must:

  • Report the life-threatening condition on the nurse alert form
  • Complete the authorization to administer medication form if student needs medication at school
  • Complete the health care plan that is specific to the student’s illness, if applicable

All student health forms are available in the forms library or at the school office. Required documentation must be completed before the child attends school.

Diabetes
Disease in which the body does not produce enough insulin.

Parents/guardians of students with diabetes must report the condition on the nurse alert form. They must also complete these forms:

  • Diabetes health care plan
  • Diabetes health care provider medication order form (for insulin)

Severe allergies
Serious abnormal reactions of the body, which are potentially life-threatening. This includes allergies to bees, nuts, milk/dairy, shellfish and wheat or gluten.

Parents/guardians of students with a severe allergy must report the condition on the nurse alert form and complete an allergy health care plan in cooperation with the student’s health care provider and school nurse. The authorization to administer epinephrine form must also be completed if the student needs an Epipen at school.

Epilepsy/Seizure disorder
Disorder of the nervous system, characterized either by mild, episodic loss of attention (petit mal) or by severe convulsions with loss of consciousness (grand mal).

Parents / guardians of students with seizure disorders must report the condition on the nurse alert form and agree to the school district’s standard seizure health care plan or complete a modified health care plan in cooperation with the student’s health care provider and school nurse.

Severe asthma
Chronic respiratory disease, characterized by sudden recurring attacks of labored breathing, chest constriction and coughing.

Parents/guardians of students with severe asthma must report the condition on the nurse alert form and complete an asthma health care plan in cooperation with the student’s health care provider and school nurse.

Cardiac/heart conditions
A condition in which the heart cannot perform its proper function. Parents/guardians of students with heart conditions must report the condition on the nurse alert form. If the student needs medication while at school, an authorization to administer medication form must be completed by the student’s health care provider.

Giving medication
The authorization to administer medication form must be completed in order to allow students to have prescription or nonprescription medication at school. One form is required per medication. If a student self carries medication while at school, an authorization to administer medication form must be filled out by the student’s health care provider and be on file at school.

Communicating with the health care provider
Parents / guardians are encouraged to complete the authorization for release of records/information form to allow the school nurse to contact your student’s health care provider with questions or concerns about their care.

Complete the forms
All student health forms are available in the forms library or at the school office.