For parents
Steps to follow: 4 steps to follow before the first day
Starting a new school year is a big step, and preparing ahead helps ensure your child stays safe and supported. Here are four simple steps to help you get everything ready before the first day.
1. Talk to the school
It is helpful to meet with key staff before the term starts. This might include your child’s teacher, the PE teacher and the school head.
Your haemophilia centre can provide simple information sheets to help staff understand bleeding disorders. It is often best to ask a bleeding disorder specialist nurse from your centre to contact the school. They can talk directly with teachers and ask any questions. Even if the school has a nurse, they might not have looked after a child with a bleeding disorder before, so expert support is really useful.
2. Help staff spot a bleed
Make sure the staff know the difference between a small surface cut and an internal bleed.
They need to know exactly what to look out for, such as your child holding an arm limply or refusing to use a leg. It is important to tell them that any knock to the head, neck or tummy is a serious emergency, and they must call an ambulance straight away.
3. Set up a care plan
An individual care plan is a document that explains exactly how the school will support your child. It makes it clear who needs to act and what to do. You can get this plan from your haemophilia centre.
The care plan will include clear instructions for the school, such as:
- First aid advice like PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation)
- Details on factor treatment to stop bleeds
- Your family’s emergency plan
- Advice from your medical team on activities to avoid, or when your child needs to wear a helmet
4. Share emergency contacts
Make sure the school has up-to-date phone numbers for you, your haemophilia centre, and your main medical team. It is also a good idea to have a medical ID bracelet and a bleeding disorder alert card in their school bag.
Looking ahead
As your child grows, they will spend more time with different people. You can use these same four steps whenever your child is looked after by someone else, like a babysitter, childminder, or a friend’s parent.
(Reference: Takeda: www.bleedingdisorders.com/milestones/children)
Bleeding disorders and school booklet
Our Bleeding Disorders and School Booklet is an overview of the important points to bear in mind when managing a child with a bleeding disorder. It is not a complete guide; the relationship between the school and the parents is paramount. This will ensure that the school, the child and the parents feel confident and supported in managing any difficulties that may arise.