Back-to-School Safety: What Every Parent Should Know Before the First Day

Parents spend weeks preparing for a new school year. We buy supplies, complete medical forms, attend orientation, and make sure children know their schedules.

But there is another important question families should ask: Is my child’s school prepared to respond to a medical emergency?

A serious emergency can happen in a classroom, cafeteria, gym, athletic field, playground, or after-school activity. Parents, teachers, coaches, and students should understand what to look for and what to do when seconds matter.

Here are some of the most important back-to-school safety topics every family should discuss before school begins.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Can Affect Young People

Sudden cardiac arrest is often associated with older adults, but it can also happen to children and teenagers.

Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when an electrical problem causes the heart to suddenly stop beating effectively. It is different from a heart attack, which is generally caused by blocked blood flow to the heart.

Some young people with an underlying heart condition may experience warning signs such as:

• Fainting during exercise

• Unexplained chest pain

• A racing or irregular heartbeat

• Unusual shortness of breath

• Seizure-like activity during or after exercise

• A family history of sudden or unexplained death at a young age

However, sudden cardiac arrest can sometimes occur without obvious warning signs.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends cardiac-risk screening for all children, not only student athletes. Parents should make sure their child’s pediatrician knows about any concerning symptoms or relevant family history. An EKG may be appropriate in some situations, but routine EKG testing for every young athlete is not currently the standard recommendation in the United States.

Know What to Do When Someone Suddenly Collapses

If a student or adult suddenly collapses, is unresponsive, and is not breathing normally:

• Call 911.

• Begin CPR.

• Send someone to retrieve an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

• Continue CPR and follow the AED’s spoken instructions until emergency personnel arrive.

  
  

Do not waste valuable time trying to find a pulse. For an unresponsive person who is not breathing normally, begin chest compressions as quickly as possible.

An AED is designed for use by members of the public. The machine analyzes the person’s heart rhythm and will only advise or deliver a shock when one is needed.

Parents should also ask whether their older children know how to call 911, begin hands-only CPR, and locate the closest AED.

Ask Where the School’s AEDs Are Located

Texas schools are required to have AEDs, but simply having an AED somewhere on campus may not be enough.

An AED must be accessible quickly during an emergency. That includes emergencies that happen in:

• Gyms

• Athletic fields

• Cafeterias

• Playgrounds

• Portable buildings

• Auditoriums

• After-school programs

  
  

Parents should ask where the AEDs are located, who checks them, and whether coaches, teachers, and staff know how to access them.

AED batteries and electrode pads can expire. Schools should inspect their devices regularly and make sure staff members understand their roles during a cardiac emergency.

Take Houston Heat Seriously

Back-to-school season often coincides with some of the hottest weather of the year. Children participating in football, soccer, marching band, cheerleading, recess, and other outdoor activities can be at risk for heat-related illness.

Signs of heat exhaustion may include:

• Heavy sweating

• Weakness or fatigue

• Dizziness

• Headache

• Nausea

• Muscle cramps

• Cool or clammy skin

Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency. Warning signs can include confusion, unusual behavior, collapse, seizures, loss of consciousness, or an extremely high body temperature.

Call 911 immediately if heatstroke is suspected. Move the person out of the heat and begin rapid cooling while waiting for emergency responders. Students should have regular access to water and should not wait until they feel extremely thirsty to drink. Hydration should begin before activity and continue throughout practice.

Recognize a Possible Concussion

A concussion can result from a direct hit to the head or from a forceful impact to the body that causes the brain to move inside the skull. A student does not have to lose consciousness to have a concussion.

Possible symptoms include:

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Confusion

• Balance problems

• Nausea

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Memory problems

• Slowed responses

• Mood or behavior changes

• Unusual tiredness or sleepiness

When a concussion is suspected, the student should be removed from activity immediately. The child should not return to sports the same day and should be evaluated by an appropriate healthcare professional.

The CDC provides concussion training for coaches and sports officials that focuses on recognizing symptoms and taking the proper next steps.

Prepare for Common School Emergencies

Cardiac arrest and heatstroke are not the only emergencies that can happen during the school day. Parents, teachers, and school employees should know how to respond to several common situations.

Choking

A person who is severely choking may be unable to speak, cough forcefully, cry, or breathe. Call 911 and begin the appropriate choking response. A person who can still cough or speak should be encouraged to continue coughing while being closely monitored.

Severe Allergic Reactions

Signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction can include:

• Trouble breathing

• Swelling of the throat or tongue

• Wheezing

• Widespread hives

• Vomiting

• Dizziness

• Collapse

Epinephrine is the first emergency treatment for anaphylaxis. Use the student’s prescribed epinephrine according to their emergency plan and call 911. Antihistamines should not be used as a replacement for epinephrine during a severe reaction.

Seizures

During a seizure:

• Clear nearby objects away.

• Protect the person’s head.

• Do not hold the person down.

• Do not put anything in their mouth.

• Turn the person onto their side when it is safe.

• Time the seizure.

Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, repeats without recovery, causes an injury, affects breathing, happens in water, or is the person’s first known seizure.

Serious Bleeding

Apply firm and continuous pressure directly to the wound. Call 911 for bleeding that is severe, spurting, soaking through dressings, or causing the person to become pale, weak, confused, or unresponsive.

A tourniquet may be needed for life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg that cannot be controlled with direct pressure. Proper training is important.

Do Not Assume Every School Has a Full-Time Nurse

Did you know?: Texas does not require every school system to employ a school nurse. Schools may provide health services through nurses or other qualified health professionals, but staffing can differ by campus and district.

Parents should ask who handles medical concerns when a nurse is not on campus. They should also ask how emergency medications are managed, including:

• EpiPens

• Asthma inhalers

• Seizure rescue medications

• Diabetes medications

• Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan

Never assume every teacher is trained in CPR, first aid, or emergency medication administration.

Questions to Ask Your Child’s School

Before the first day, consider asking:

1. Does the school have a written medical emergency action plan?

2. How many teachers, coaches, and staff members are trained in CPR and first aid?

3. Where are AEDs located?

4. Can an AED reach the athletic fields, gym, playground, and after-school activities quickly?

5. How often are AED batteries and pads inspected?

6. Does the school practice medical emergency drills?

7. Who responds if the school nurse is unavailable?

8. How are allergies, asthma, seizures, heart conditions, and other medical needs communicated to staff?

9. Where will my child’s emergency medication be stored?

10. Who is authorized and trained to administer it?

These questions are not an accusation that the school is unprepared. They help parents understand the plan, identify potential gaps, and communicate their child’s needs clearly.

Teach Children When to Call 911

Even young children can learn basic emergency information. Children should know how to call 911 when someone:

• Is unconscious

• Is not breathing normally

• Is drowning

• Is choking and cannot speak

• Is bleeding heavily

• Is having a severe allergic reaction

• Is experiencing a prolonged seizure

Children should also know their full name, home address, parent or guardian’s name, and a trusted phone number.

Most importantly, teach them to find an adult immediately and never assume someone else has already called for help.

Join the Free Back-to-School Safety Webinar

Parents, teachers, coaches, and school staff are invited to join Gail Gould, the CPR and Safety Lady, for a free virtual Back-to-School Safety Webinar.

Tuesday, August 4

12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Free virtual event

The webinar will cover:

• Sudden cardiac arrest, CPR, and AED response

• Choking

• Severe allergic reactions

• Seizures

• Serious bleeding

• Concussions

• Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

• Emergency medications

• Questions to ask your school

• What children should know about calling 911

No medical background is required. Attendees will leave with practical information that can help them feel more prepared and ready to respond during an emergency.

Register through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/back-to-school-safety-webinar-what-every-parent-and-child-should-know-tickets-1995337451029?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true