How to preapre for High School??

[mygirl10]

I can hardly believe that I started on these boards when my daughter was 5 and suddenly she is 14 and will be in
high school in the fall!!

I am happy to report that she has gotten through K-now- 8th grade with no reactions but I remain vigilent and so does
she

Anyways, high school is another matter- I am suddenly worried sick and don't know what is reasonable to expect.

the things that come up for me now is:

Eating in class- I think in high school it is much more common for kids to just eat and snack and I don't think that is a
good idea.

who is responsible for her....at this point I don't think that all teachers are Epi trained- only the office staff
that is too far away in my mind.

I will be meeting with the prinicpal this week to get the ball rolling but wondered what is reasonable???

what have you done/gotten in place so your child can be safe in HS??

Thanks for any info you can provide- I did a search on this site but did not come up with much info

[Carefulmom]

My dd is a junior.  I think high school is actually easier than the younger grades.  A few questions:

What are your child`s allergies?
Will any of her friends in high school be epi trained?  Probably by now a few of her friends are.
Does she have a 504?

I have found that most of the problems that have come up dd and her friends have managed on their own.  The school did try to take away the accomodation of an epi trained adult on field trips.  She has a 504, so I called our states Office Of Educational Equity Compliance.  They called the school and told them they could not do that.  Other than that, high school has been pretty smooth.

[mygirl10]

Thanks CarefulMom-

My dd is allergic to pn,all tree nuts and sesame.

She has practiced using an Epi pen but I would never trust her to actually use it on herself at this point
she would probably just deny she was having a problem plus she also has asthma.
I am not sure what friends will be at HS with her so that is not really a viable option at this point either.

I am sure it is easier to handle in HS but if she is in a classroom and kids are eating food that hse is allergic to
she would feel very uncomfortable...so need to find out what the rules are for food in classroom.

She has had a 504 plan since K but I am not sure they will let me continue with it into HS.

[CMdeux]

Well, recall that as long as she remains eligible for that 504 plan (and she does, because anaphylaxis renders someone entirely incapable of most life activities, and ADAA clarifies that the condition may be "episodic" in nature)....


then you just have to work out what needs to be in it.

Have you visited the high school yet?

I'd try to do that and see what her day-to-day life in the school's particular environment will be like.  That will give you some idea of where trouble spots are likely to be.

Major problems at this age seem to be:

a) an impulse to hide/minimize/delay managing symptoms (that one is on your DD to avoid, btw)
b) teachers who don't understand that an allergic reaction can (and does) impair judgment and gross motor skills significantly, and
c) gaps in adult oversight/monitoring-- if your DD leaves class for the nurse/health room, who sees to it that she GETS THERE?  Will she be walking alone?  That's a big no-no in an allergic reaction.  Will she be allowed to carry her cell phone on campus at all times?  Who will be covering extracurriculars? What about activities which use the instructional spaces after or before school hours? 

[Carefulmom]

Okay, well your dd`s circumstances are fairly different from my dd.  By HS, several of my dd`s friends were epi trained, and also dd.  For me, that made it less critical as far as certain accomodations. 

I don`t think they can just decide that a child who has had a 504 suddenly doesn`t need one.  Not unless the medical condition resolved.  So I really don`t think you need to worry about that.  As far as the food in class, in dd`s school the teachers usually make an announcement about not eating peanut products in class due to allergies and there hasn`t been any problem.  Other things in her 504 are being able to use her cell phone in class to call me about her allergies if necessary (she has never had to do it), no trash pick up as discipline (she has never been disciplined, but I wanted it in there in case there is any sort of group punishment), notes about no nuts must go home if there is a class event that involves kids bringing food (such as her Italian class had a Christmas party and kids brought food), epi trained adult at any activity or club that dd wants to join, no nuts at prom.

I would really work on getting her comfortable with an epipen.  She can practice with an expired one into an orange.  Does she hang out with her friends on weekends?  (mall, movies, etc)  If so, who is epi responsible?  By 14, my dd definitely did not want me there.

ETA:  posting at same time as CM Deux