Ensuring your child’s health and safety is of utmost importance for parents. If your child has a medical condition, developing an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP) with the school could be as important and necessary as the goals in the IEP. The way the IHP looks may vary from school system to school system, but the information they contain should be the same. The IHP should identify all health concerns and needs, determine when and what medications the child may receive while at school, what to do in case of a medical emergency, and create solutions to possible problems. These can and should be developed for a variety of conditions such as diabetes, seizures, severe allergies, and asthma. Other possible concerns that can be added are toileting needs, special feeding instructions, and training for staff. It may be necessary to work with your doctor, as well as the school staff, to create a complete and effective IHP. It is helpful for parents to think about the things
Family Voices Indiana is a family-led organization that provides information, education, training, outreach, and peer support to families of children and youth with special health care needs and the professionals who serve them.