Discussion Boards => Schools and Food Allergies => Topic started by: joanna5 on June 04, 2012, 01:15:46 PM
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Title: Riding the bus?
Post by: joanna5 on June 04, 2012, 01:15:46 PM
I looked through the resources and found some great info, but I'm running into one major issue.
We're in the process of moving for next year. I dropped off registration paperwork for my two older kids today and spoke briefly with D's school nurse. They already have food free birthdays (yay!), but we'll have to work at his 504 meeting in regards to two major things. The first is that they store Epis in the nurse's office. Not going to happen. The second is that the bus service is subcontracted and drivers will not give the Epi. They pull over and call 911.
I'm hoping we can figure out a way for D to safely ride the bus, but am not sure it will happen. I know some people have been able to get an aide on the bus with their child- is that correct? Any other suggestions or tips for how you approached it with the school? I can bring him, but it could be difficult as I have a younger daughter who will be at a different school with different start/stop times.
Aargh... just when we got a great, allergy-aware principal at our current school, we're moving and I"m starting all over again. I'm already tired, lol.
Title: Re: Riding the bus?
Post by: twinturbo on June 04, 2012, 01:22:07 PM
Not to ignore your needee info - I honestly don't have anything useful to offer there, but since they already have food free birthdays as a policy it's make an awful nice uncontested addition to 504.
Title: Re: Riding the bus?
Post by: joanna5 on June 04, 2012, 01:29:29 PM
Oh, yes, that is in our current 504 and will go in the new one, as well. I did find one helpful bit of info. I'm in MA and from what I've read, all bus drivers licensed after March 2010 have to complete a first aid training that includes EpiPen administration.
I hope that this gives me some ammunition. Drivers licensed before that date are not required to be trained, but it's something, at least.
Title: Re: Riding the bus?
Post by: Macabre on June 06, 2012, 06:51:00 AM
DS had an aide until this past year (he's in 8th grade). All drivers are now epi trained, and he rode three different buses each day (one to the high school with high school kids, one from high school to middle school after his first period there, and one home. We didn't do the activity bus this year but could have if needed.)
We had different accommodations as DS grew older: driver wiped down his special seat up front. Then that was excluding him from social situations, so he would pick up a wipe upon entering the bus and wipe down his own. In elem, the drivers still had assigned seating, so that helped.
It was just in our 504 because our district's Sped Dir put it there at the very beginning. :) Along with eating cafeteria food (though we haven't done that).
Title: Re: Riding the bus?
Post by: joanna5 on June 06, 2012, 08:50:06 AM