5 Meds to Check Before Sending Kids Back to School

5 Meds to Check Before Sending Kids Back to School

In the first few weeks of Term 1, Australian kids with asthma are up to three times more likely to end up in hospital than in the weeks before school goes back.

Add to that the fact that roughly one child in every classroom has a food allergy, and you start to see how much is going on behind the scenes of that “first day back” photo.

It’s not just lunchboxes and new shoes that matter for back to school health. For many families, the real safety net is invisible: child prescriptions, action plans and emergency medication that quietly sit in school first-aid rooms, backpacks and classroom cupboards.

As an Australian telehealth clinic, we talk every day to parents who suddenly realise the night before school starts that:

• The EpiPen is out of date.
• The asthma puffer is almost empty.
• The ADHD script has lapsed.
• The school still has last year’s health plan.

This article is our way of helping you avoid that sinking feeling.

We’ll walk you through:

• Why back-to-school is a risky time for conditions like asthma and allergies.
• How Australian schools handle medication (and what they expect from you).
• 5 key meds to check before your child returns to class.
• A simple, practical school medication checklist you can use every year.
• How we at NextClinic can help you stay on top of child prescriptions and action plans via telehealth.

We’ll reference trusted Australian sources – including Asthma Australia, the National Allergy Council, state education departments, Healthdirect, and major paediatric centres – so you can be confident this advice matches how the Australian system actually works.

By the end, you’ll have a clear, calm back to school health plan, instead of a last‑minute scramble.

Looking for online prescriptions?

Starting from $24.90

Request Now

Looking for online prescriptions?

Starting from $24.90

Request Now

Why back-to-school is a high‑risk time for kids’ health

If it feels like your child (or half the class) always gets sick or has flare-ups right after the holidays, it’s not your imagination.

Asthma Australia reports that child asthma hospitalisations peak in February, the first full month after the long summer break. Past research shows admissions for kids aged 5–14 surge after the first day of school and peak 2–4 weeks into term, with a hospitalisation risk up to three times higher than before school resumes.

Why the spike?

• Kids are suddenly mixing with hundreds of others again – cue a wave of respiratory viruses.
• Many children miss doses of their preventer inhaler over the holidays.
• Classrooms, dust, pollen and exercise act as extra triggers.

Zooming out, asthma itself is incredibly common here:

• Nearly 2.8 million Australians have asthma – about 11% of the population.
• It’s especially common in kids: roughly 1 in 10 boys and 1 in 16 girls under 15 live with asthma.

Allergies tell a similar story. Australia has some of the highest childhood food allergy rates in the world – about 1 in 10 babies and 1 in 20 primary school‑aged children have a food allergy, which works out to roughly one child in every classroom.

Hospital admissions for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) have increased sharply over recent decades, and deaths from food‑induced anaphylaxis have also risen.

On top of asthma and allergies, plenty of Australian students take medicines at school for:

• ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions
• Epilepsy
• Type 1 diabetes
• Other chronic conditions

State education departments explicitly require health plans and up‑to‑date medication at school for conditions like severe asthma, Type 1 diabetes, epilepsy and anaphylaxis.

All of this is why a school medication checklist is just as important as new uniforms. A few simple checks in January can dramatically reduce the chance of:

• A preventable trip to hospital.
• A panicked phone call from the school office.
• Your child missing class because a script or action plan wasn’t sorted.

How Australian schools handle medication (and why that matters)

Every state and territory has its own policies, but the broad themes are similar.

Taking NSW as an example, the Department of Education says that when a medical practitioner prescribes medication that must be given during the school day, parents or carers must:

• Notify the school.
• Provide up‑to‑date information about the child’s health and treatment.
• Supply the medication (and any related equipment) in original pharmacy packaging with a clear label.
• Work with the school to develop an individual health support plan where needed – especially for conditions like severe asthma, Type 1 diabetes, epilepsy and anaphylaxis.

Other key points from state guidelines:

• Schools usually won’t give medication that hasn’t been requested for a specific student’s diagnosed condition.
• Students often can’t self‑carry certain medicines – particularly Schedule 8 (controlled) medicines such as many ADHD stimulants – unless there’s a written agreement and it’s legally allowed.
• For serious conditions, schools expect formal action plans, such as:
  • Asthma Action Plans
  • ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plans
  • Epilepsy Management Plans
  • Diabetes Action and Management Plans

Schools are also told to regularly check medication expiry dates and encourage families to replace anything that’s out of date – especially adrenaline autoinjectors (EpiPen or Anapen).

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) stresses that EpiPens must never be used beyond their expiry date, and advises families to check the expiry printed on the actual device itself, not just the box.

The good news: expired or unwanted medicines can usually be taken back to any Australian pharmacy for safe disposal, another step highlighted in school medication guidance.

Put simply: schools are prepared to help keep your child safe – but they need current medication, clear instructions and valid documentation from you and your child’s health team.

That’s where our five‑part school medication checklist comes in.

The 5 meds to check before sending kids back to school

Not every child will need all five of these. But if your child has asthma, allergies, ADHD, epilepsy or diabetes, this list is for you.

Even if your child doesn’t have a diagnosed condition, skim through – it might prompt a conversation with your GP or paediatrician before school goes back.

1. Asthma inhalers, spacers and your child’s Asthma Action Plan

If your child has asthma – even “mild” – back to school is peak danger time.

Asthma Australia’s research shows that child asthma hospitalisations spike in the early weeks of term, likely due to viral infections, triggers at school and kids not taking their preventer medication consistently over the holidays.

At the same time, asthma remains one of the most common chronic conditions in Australian children, and a leading cause of disease burden in kids.

That’s why an up‑to‑date Asthma Action Plan is non‑negotiable.

Asthma Australia specifically encourages parents to follow a back‑to‑school checklist that starts with booking an asthma review, updating prescriptions and ensuring your child’s Asthma Action Plan is current.

Your pre‑school asthma checklist

1. Check every puffer’s expiry date
   • Look at both the preventer (often the orange or brown one) and the reliever (often blue).
   • If anything is due to expire during the school term (or is nearly empty), organise a refill or a new script before school starts.
2. Make sure you have enough inhalers and spacers
   • Ideally, your child should have:
     • A reliever inhaler and spacer at school.
     • A reliever and preventer at home.
     • For older kids who self‑carry, a spare reliever in their bag if the school allows it.
   • Check that spacers are clean and not cracked.
3. Review your child’s Asthma Action Plan
   • If the plan is more than 12 months old, or your child’s symptoms changed over the holidays (e.g. more coughing, using the puffer more often), book a review with your GP or asthma nurse.
   • Make sure the plan clearly spells out:
     • Daily preventer dose and timing.
     • What counts as a flare‑up – and what extra doses to give.
     • When to call an ambulance.
4. Give the school a fresh copy
   • Provide the school (and, if relevant, OSHC and sports coaches) with:
     • A copy of the Asthma Action Plan.
     • Any other specialist letters that explain triggers or limitations.
   • Ask how they store asthma medication and whether your child is allowed to carry their reliever.
5. Talk to your child
   • For school‑aged kids, practise:
     • Recognising early asthma symptoms.
     • Using the spacer properly.
     • Telling a teacher quickly if they’re struggling to breathe.

If you realise at the last minute that your child’s script has lapsed and your usual GP is booked out, a telehealth appointment may be able to help with repeat asthma prescriptions where it’s safe to do so. (For severe or poorly controlled asthma, in‑person care with your usual GP or specialist is still essential.)

And if an asthma flare means your child has to stay home in Week 1 and you need time off work, you might find our guide to carer’s leave for sick kids helpful.

2. EpiPen, Anapen and allergy medications (plus your ASCIA Action Plan)

For families living with severe food allergy or insect allergy, the EpiPen or Anapen is the single most critical item in the school bag.

Australia has some of the highest allergy rates worldwide:

• Around 1 in 10 babies and 1 in 20 older children have a food allergy.
• On average, that’s one child in every classroom.

Hospital admissions for food‑related anaphylaxis have increased several‑fold over the past few decades.

Allergy organisations and school guidelines repeatedly stress two things: having an up‑to‑date ASCIA Action Plan and checking adrenaline autoinjector expiry dates.

Your pre‑school allergy checklist

1. Do an EpiPen renewal check
   • Check the expiry date printed on the actual device, not just the box – a TGA safety alert has previously found mismatches between some cartons and devices.
   • If the pen is expired or due to expire soon, organise an EpiPen renewal (or Anapen replacement) with your child’s GP or allergy specialist.
   • Remember that many children are advised to have two adrenaline autoinjectors available at all times, as about 20% of anaphylaxis cases need a second dose.
2. Check storage conditions
   • Adrenaline autoinjectors should be stored:
     • At room temperature (about 15–25°C).
     • Away from direct sunlight and heat.
     • In an unlocked but easily accessible location.
   • They must not be kept in the fridge or freezer.
3. Update your ASCIA Action Plan
   • Make sure your child’s plan:
     • Is the latest ASCIA version.
     • Has a recent photo of your child.
     • Reflects any change in weight, medication brand or dose.
   • Your GP or allergist needs to sign and date the plan.
4. Provide copies everywhere your child goes
   • School office and classroom.
   • OSHC / after‑school care.
   • Sports clubs or music tutors, if relevant.
   • Make sure each location knows:
     • Where the EpiPen/Anapen is stored.
     • Who is trained in using it.
     • That anyone can use it in an emergency if trained staff aren’t nearby – EpiPens are specifically designed for use by laypeople in urgent situations.
5. Review other allergy medication
   • Check expiry on:
     • Antihistamine (liquid or tablets) used for mild reactions.
     • Any nasal or asthma medications that are part of your child’s overall allergy management.

If getting in to see your allergy specialist is difficult, a telehealth GP may sometimes help with interim script renewals or referrals – but new or worsening anaphylaxis always warrants in‑person specialist review.

3. ADHD and other daily behavioural medications

ADHD is very common in Australian kids – estimates suggest 5–10% of children are affected.

For many families, stimulant or non‑stimulant medication is a key part of helping their child focus, learn and thrive at school. But these medicines are tightly controlled:

• Each state and territory has its own rules about who can prescribe ADHD medicines.
• Stimulants (like methylphenidate and dexamfetamine) are usually Schedule 8 (controlled) medicines, with extra legal safeguards.
• Healthdirect notes that only doctors with special approval can prescribe stimulants, and that prescriptions are often handled more strictly than other medicines.

Recent reforms in some states, like NSW, are making it easier for trained GPs to continue ADHD prescriptions for stable patients, to reduce long specialist wait times.

Because ADHD medicines are controlled, last‑minute script problems are especially stressful. Schools also handle them differently from, say, asthma puffers.

Your pre‑school ADHD medication checklist

1. Confirm your current script and repeats
   • Check:
     • When your child’s current script runs out.
     • How many repeats are left.
     • Your prescriber’s requirements for follow‑up.
   • Don’t leave it until the day before school starts – many clinics are slammed in late January.
2. Plan how doses will be given at school
   • Some children only need medication in the morning before school.
   • Others need a midday dose at school.
   • Check your school’s policy. Many state education departments say:
     • Schedule 8 medicines can’t be self‑carried without explicit agreement.
     • Medication should be stored securely and administered by trained staff under a Medication Authority Form or similar.
3. Monitor side effects and growth
   • A major Australian paediatric review has emphasised the importance of regular (often 6‑monthly) check‑ups for kids on ADHD medicines, including monitoring:
     • Height and weight.
     • Heart rate and blood pressure.
     • Appetite, sleep and mood.
   • If you’ve noticed big changes over the holidays (e.g. weight loss, insomnia, increased anxiety), book a review before term starts.
4. Coordinate with the school – but protect your child’s privacy
   • Talk to your child’s teacher or year coordinator about:
     • Whether medication is taken at school.
     • Any learning supports your child might need.
   • You don’t need to share every detail, but giving teachers a heads‑up can help them support your child more effectively.
5. Know what telehealth can (and can’t) do
   • Strict laws mean many telehealth services (including ours) either can’t prescribe or strictly limit prescribing of ADHD stimulants, especially for new diagnoses.
   • However, telehealth can sometimes help with:
     • General questions about side effects.
     • Mental health support.
     • Referrals to local paediatricians or psychiatrists if your child needs more specialised care.

With ADHD medication, the theme is forward‑planning. Treat your child’s script as a key part of your school medication checklist – not an afterthought.

4. Anti‑seizure medications and emergency seizure meds

If your child has epilepsy or a history of seizures, you’re already juggling a lot. Back‑to‑school admin can add another layer – but it’s crucial.

Education policies (for example, in Victoria and South Australia) say that for each student diagnosed with epilepsy, schools must have:

• A Student Health Support Plan.
• A Medication Authority listing all regular (non‑emergency) medicines that may be given at school.
• An Epilepsy Management Plan signed by the treating doctor.
• An Emergency Medication Management Plan, where rescue medicines like midazolam are prescribed.

Epilepsy Action Australia also notes that roughly 1% of children experience epilepsy, and schools are encouraged to complete specific epilepsy training and develop seizure management plans – even if they don’t currently have a student with epilepsy.

Your pre‑school epilepsy medication checklist

1. Audit regular anti‑seizure medications
   • Check:
     • Expiry dates on all bottles and blister packs.
     • That you have enough supply to cover school days, including any midday doses.
   • Never abruptly stop anti‑seizure medication without medical advice – sudden changes can trigger seizures.
2. Review rescue/emergency medications
   • If your child has a plan for using rescue medication (e.g. buccal or intranasal midazolam, rectal diazepam):
     • Check the expiry date on each prefilled syringe or bottle.
     • Confirm the dose and circumstances for use match the most recent plan from your child’s neurologist.
   • Replace anything due to expire early in the year.
3. Update seizure and emergency plans
   • Make sure the school has:
     • A current Epilepsy Management Plan.
     • An Emergency Medication Management Plan, if required.
   • If your child’s seizure pattern or medication changed over the holidays, get the plans updated and signed.
4. Check staff training
   • Ask the school:
     • Who is trained in seizure first aid.
     • Who is authorised to administer emergency medication.
     • Whether they’ve completed a recognised epilepsy training program (e.g. Epilepsy Action’s Seizure Smart Schools or SAFE Schools resources).
5. Talk through safety practicalities
   • Discuss:
     • How your child will be supervised during high‑risk activities (swimming, climbing, camps).
     • Whether your child carries any medication themselves, or if everything stays in a central location.

Telehealth can sometimes support with general epilepsy education or non‑urgent questions, but any change to seizure patterns, new types of events or medication issues should be discussed with your child’s neurologist or epilepsy team in person or via their own telehealth services.

5. Insulin, diabetes supplies and action plans

For children with Type 1 diabetes, school isn’t just about maths and sport – it’s also about blood glucose checks, insulin doses, hypo treatment and sick‑day management.

Australian guidelines for schools emphasise that every student with diabetes must have a diabetes action and management plan, plus an insulin medication agreement if insulin is given at school. Staff who support that student should receive specific training.

The Diabetes in Schools program and the Type 1 Diabetes at School Learning Centre provide structured training so school staff can safely support students who need insulin at school.

Your pre‑school diabetes checklist

1. Check insulin and glucagon (if prescribed)
   • Go through:
     • All insulin pens, vials and pump cartridges – check expiry dates.
     • Any emergency glucagon or similar rescue medication.
   • Remember insulin in use usually has a shorter “in‑use” expiry once opened – check the manufacturer’s instructions and your diabetes team’s advice.
2. Stock up on supplies
   • Before school goes back, ensure you have:
     • Blood glucose test strips, lancets or CGM sensors.
     • Hypo treatments (e.g. juice boxes, glucose tablets).
     • Spare pump sets or pen needles.
   • Make a separate “school kit” that can live at school or in your child’s bag, as agreed with staff.
3. Update the diabetes action and management plan
   • Your child’s endocrinologist or diabetes educator should:
     • Review recent blood glucose trends.
     • Adjust insulin ratios if needed.
     • Update the written plan, including:
       • Targets for blood glucose during class and sport.
       • Hypo and hyper management steps.
       • When to call parents or an ambulance.
4. Clarify who does what at school
   • Discuss with the school:
     • Who helps with blood glucose checks, if your child needs support.
     • Who can supervise or assist with insulin (pen or pump).
     • Where equipment is stored (and that it’s easily accessible, not locked away).
   • Diabetes Australia’s resources emphasise that students should have prompt access to their blood glucose meter, hypo kit and emergency plan wherever they are on campus.
5. Prepare for excursions, camps and sport
   • Ask for a meeting before major events to plan:
     • Extra snacks and hypo treatments.
     • Storage of insulin and devices in hot weather.
     • Who will be responsible for helping your child.

Your diabetes team remains your primary support here. Telehealth can sometimes help with interim advice or scripts, but complex insulin adjustments and new symptoms are best handled by your regular diabetes clinic.

Your simple back to school health medication checklist

Now that we’ve covered the big five, here’s a quick, repeatable school medication checklist you can use every January (or before each new term):

1. Make a master list of your child’s conditions
   • Asthma
   • Allergies / anaphylaxis
   • ADHD or other mental health conditions
   • Epilepsy
   • Diabetes
   • Anything else requiring regular or emergency medication
2. Lay out every medication
   • Include:
     • Inhalers and spacers
     • EpiPens / Anapens
     • Tablets, capsules and liquids
     • Insulin, glucagon and diabetes supplies
     • Rescue meds (e.g. seizure medication)
3. Check three things for each medicine
   • Expiry date
   • Remaining quantity
   • Where it’s kept (home, school, bag, OSHC)
4. Update every relevant action plan
   • Asthma Action Plan.
   • ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan.
   • Epilepsy Management and Emergency Medication Plans.
   • Diabetes Action and Management Plan.
   • Behaviour/learning support plans for ADHD or other conditions.
   • Ensure they’re signed, dated and reflect your child as they are now, not two years ago.
5. Talk to the school
   • Confirm:
     • What medication they will store and where.
     • Who can administer each medication.
     • What documentation they need (Medication Authority forms, health support plans, action plans).
   • Ask how they handle:
     • Camps and excursions.
     • Sports days and swimming.
     • Emergencies when you can’t be reached.
6. Set reminders
   • Use your phone or calendar to:
     • Remind you 1–2 months before key meds expire.
     • Nudge you to book annual reviews for asthma, allergies, ADHD, epilepsy or diabetes.

If that sounds like a lot, remember: most of this is front‑loading effort. Once it’s done, you’ll feel far more relaxed about sending your child through the school gate.

How telehealth can help you stay on top of child prescriptions

For many Aussie parents, the hardest part of managing child prescriptions isn’t remembering what to do – it’s finding the time and access to actually do it.

Between work, school pick‑ups and long GP wait times, squeezing in a script review or referral can feel impossible.

That’s exactly where telehealth services like ours can fit in.

At NextClinic, our Australian‑registered doctors provide:

• Telehealth consultations for many common issues.
• Online prescriptions (where safe and legally permitted).
• Medical and carer’s certificates when your child is unwell and you need time off work.
• Specialist referrals for conditions that need more complex care, such as allergy, asthma, neurology or paediatrics.

For busy parents, that means you can often:

• Renew suitable child prescriptions without sitting in a crowded waiting room.
• Get a referral to an asthma or allergy specialist if your GP wait list is long.
• Secure a carer’s certificate online when your child is too sick for school and you need to access personal/carer’s leave.

Of course, telehealth isn’t right for everything:

• Emergencies like severe breathing difficulty, suspected anaphylaxis, seizures, or very unwell children always need urgent in‑person care – call 000 or go straight to emergency.
• New or complex diagnoses (like initial ADHD assessments, difficult‑to‑control epilepsy or diabetes complications) usually need a full in‑person team.

Our doctors follow Australian telehealth guidelines and will always steer you towards in‑person care if that’s the safest option.

Conclusion: Ready to tick off your school medication checklist?

Let’s recap the key ideas:

• Back to school is a high‑risk time for asthma attacks, allergy reactions and other flare‑ups – especially in February.
• Australian schools expect up‑to‑date medication, clear labels and current action plans for conditions like asthma, allergies, epilepsy and diabetes.
• The five big medication categories to check before term starts are:
  1. Asthma inhalers, spacers and your child’s Asthma Action Plan.
  2. EpiPen/Anapen and other allergy meds, plus a current ASCIA Action Plan and EpiPen renewal where needed.
  3. ADHD and other behavioural medications, with scripts, side‑effect monitoring and school arrangements up to date.
  4. Anti‑seizure medicines and emergency seizure medication, alongside current epilepsy plans.
  5. Insulin, diabetes supplies and comprehensive diabetes management plans.
• A simple school medication checklist – reviewing expiry dates, quantities, storage and documentation once a year – can massively reduce last‑minute stress.
• Telehealth can make it easier to stay on top of child prescriptions, referrals and certificates, especially when traditional GP appointments are hard to get.

Now, a gentle challenge for this week:

Pick just one step from this article and actually do it.

Maybe that’s:

• Booking an asthma review and updating your child’s Asthma Action Plan.
• Doing a quick EpiPen renewal check and replacing anything close to expiry.
• Emailing the school to confirm how they store and administer your child’s meds.
• Setting calendar reminders for key expiry dates.

Whichever you choose, take that one small action – your future self (and your child) will thank you when Week 2 of term rolls around and you’re not scrambling.

If you’re reading this on our blog, we’d love to hear from you:

• Which strategy did you choose to tackle this week?
• Did you discover anything surprising when you checked your child’s medications or plans?

Share your experience in the comments – your story might be the nudge another parent needs to finally sort their own back to school health checklist.

References

• Back to school, back to hospital - Asthma Australia
• Food allergy - Murdoch Children's Research Institute
• Understanding Asthma Statistics & Facts - Asthma Australia
• New allergy guidelines to protect children from severe allergic reactions in schools and childcare - National Allergy Council
• Administration of medication
• New allergy guidelines for schools and children's education/care - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
• Anaphylaxis
• Epipen 300 Microgram Adrenaline Injection Syringe Auto Injectors | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
• Australia's children, Asthma prevalence among children - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
• Asthma Australia encourages parents to follow back-to-school checklist for kids with asthma - Asthma Australia
• Kids Still on Holidays? How to Access Carer's Leave | NextClinic
• Adrenaline (Epinephrine) Autoinjectors and What School Staff Need to Know
• Anaphylaxis: 10. Adrenaline autoinjectors for general use | VIC.GOV.AU | Policy and Advisory Library
• Supporting children and students with anaphylaxis and severe allergies
• Doctors warn of side-effects in kids from popular ADHD drugs
• ADHD medicines - children and adults | healthdirect
• GPs to diagnose ADHD and prescribe drugs for children and adults under NSW reforms
• How to Skip the GP Waiting Room for a Specialist Referral | NextClinic
• Epilepsy and Seizures: Policy | VIC.GOV.AU | Policy and Advisory Library
• Seizure Smart Schools | Epilepsy Action
• SAFE Schools Program - Epilepsy Action Australia
• Supporting children and students with diabetes
• Type 1 Diabetes at School Learning Centre
• Diabetes at the RCH : Type 1 diabetes
• Insulin at School | Diabetes in Schools - Diabetes Australia
• Blog | NextClinic

FAQs