by Dana Wright

The school year may be ending for most kids, but before you know it parents will be immersed in the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping and the anticipation of a child’s first day of the new school year. It may seem like September is far away, but the summer months are also a great time to get your child’s health status up-to-date.

Full-time Mary Kay beauty consultant, Ife Rollins, knows a thing or two about children’s health in schools. She is a former nurse at Gordon School in East Providence and in the Boston Public School system. Rollins is also a mother. She can tell you what schools are looking for.

Ife Rollins, RN and Mary Kay beauty consultant. Photo above courtesy of Rollins and photo below right, courtesy of Wright.

“In order to attend school,” she explains, “state law mandates that a child must have up-to-date documentation of immunizations. Without the first shots, a child will not be allowed to enroll in school”. The Rhode Island Department of Health requires children to be immunized at the start of pre kindergarten, kindergarten, and seventh grade.

Rollins explains that one of her roles as a school nurse was making sure each child’s health immunizations were complete. She had the responsibility, for instance, of notifying families’ that their child’s shots needed to be brought up-to-date. Rollins suggests that by taking the following actions during the summer time, parents could be more proactive when preparing children for a new school year:

• Make sure your child has an annual physical. According to Rollins, “Routine physicals are so important to monitoring the growth and development of children and for early detection of disease.”
• Ask the doctor to sign a medication permission slip for any medication that the child may need to take during the school day. If a child leaves home without taking their medication, and there is a back up supply at school with a permission slip signed by the doctor and the parent, the nurse can administer it at the parent’s request. Without the prior written authorization from the doctor on record, the nurse will be unable to administer the medication.
• If your child has an inhaler or an epi-pen, this documentation along with the medication must be on file and stored in the nurse's office on the very first day of school.
• Keep a copy of the immunizations and medication permission forms just in case they are misplaced.

Rollins also notes that in certain instances, the shots may have been administered, but the records have not been updated at the school. To save on time and to avoid the hassle of having to request the documentation from the doctor, ask right away and keep extra copies on hand or at home.

In addition to making sure your child’s health records and immunizations are updated at the start of school, Rollins says that one of the most significant health issue facing school aged children is their nutrition. She states, “Children need proper nutrition to be able to grow healthy and strong bodies and minds that can think and learn.”

In today’s busy world, meeting your child’s health and wellness needs can often seem overwhelming but in the end a healthy child is a happy child.

For more details about documentation required in Rhode Island Public Schools, visit www.health.ri.gov/immunization or call 1-800-942-7434.

Dana Wright is a graduate of Rhode Island College, where she earned aB.A. in communications. Her community work includes founding the "Access Challenge," a program promoting disability awareness, and consulting for the LEAD Mentoring Program through the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. She has also written and self-publishedmany articles at MakingAccess.com, a website she createdto help people locate disability related resources, and she has just completed a children's book about a young heroine who lives wheelchair-assisted.