Health Cards Help Keep Your Kids Safe at School

Sept. 7, 2009 — -- As millions of American school children and college students prepare to don their backpacks for the start of the school year, parents across the country are wondering how best to protect their little ones from the swine flu and other sickness.

According to Dr. Marie Savard, there are five keys to keeping your kids healthy this year.

Click here to download your own simple "Health at a Glance" form.

Whether its the swine flu or just any flu, Savard said families everywhere should have a plan.

"We all know by now that you need to be vigilant about handwashing and to be responsible and stay home or in their dorm room if they are sick," Savard said. "But aside from the basic hygiene, the flu plan should contain the following: an estimated date for them to either get or start inquiring about the swine flu vaccination. Make sure they have it on their calendar for mid-October."

As with any contagious illness, for those going to college, keeping the kissing down could help significantly, Savard said.

If kissing is a must, the Center for Disease Control recommended college kids should be kissing with surgical masks on.

For a list of the other CDC recommendations, click here.

But if your kid does get sick, Savard said they should have a "health buddy," someone on campus or at school who can contact you if necessary and get homework assignments for your child while they're out.

An insurance card can help pay the medical bills, but Savard said an emergency health card can saves lives.

According to Savard, your child should have a card that has the name of his or her local health buddy, contact information as well as any allergies, medications and pertinent family medical history on it.

Click here to download your own simple "Health at a Glance" form.

With this on their person, your child can let medical professionals know the basics about their health before accepting any new prescriptions, diagnosis or treatment, Savard said.