PEDIATRICS Vol. 74 No. 3 September 1984, pp. 433
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Administration of Medication in School

Committee on School Health

Many children with chronic disabilities or illnesses are able to attend school because of the effectiveness of their prescribed medication. Any student who is required to take prescribed medication during regular school hours should do so in compliance with school regulations. These regulations should include the following:

1. A physician should provide written orders with the name of the drug, dose, time interval when the medication is to be taken, and diagnosis or reason the medicine is needed.

2. The parent or guardian should provide a written request that the school district comply with the physician's order.

3. Medication should be brought to school in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacist or the physician.

4. When the student does not regularly take his or her own medication, or if the parent or physician requests that school personnel administer the medication, provision should be made for the medication to be kept in a locked cabinet. Designated personnel must be available to administer the medication at agreed-upon times, and arrangements should be made for alternate personnel to perform the task in case of absence. The person administering the medication must keep a written record.

5. When the child is usually responsible for taking his/her own medication, he/she may do so in school without supervision by school personnel, provided the physician and parent have provided the required authorizations. The school administration should cooperate with the physician, parent, and child. In such instances, it is understood that the school bears no responsibility for safeguarding the medication or assuring that it is taken, and the parent should provide a written statement relieving the school of such responsibility.