Health Checks
Once a Year, or at the Start of the School Year
Each Term
The "About My Child" Card
Print this card, fill it in by hand, and give one copy to the class teacher and one to the school nurse or sick bay. Keep a photo on your phone. If your child is ever unwell at school, this is what the staff will read in the first minute. Write clearly; use capital letters for names and medicines.
| About my child, for the school (term and year: ____________) | |
|---|---|
| Full name and date of birth | |
| Class and class teacher | |
| Blood group and genotype | |
| Long-term conditions for example asthma, sickle cell disease, epilepsy, diabetes, a heart condition | |
| Allergies and what happens foods, medicines, insect stings, latex | |
| Daily medicines name, what time, who gives it | |
| Emergency medicines kept at school for example reliever inhaler and spacer, adrenaline auto-injector | |
| Signs that mean call me at once | |
| Parent or carer 1: name and phone | |
| Parent or carer 2: name and phone | |
| Other emergency contact | |
| Adults allowed to collect my child | |
| Child's hospital or doctor, and phone | |
| HMO or NHIA name and member number | |
| Anything else the teacher should know hearing, sight, learning, feelings, faith or diet | |
| Parent's signature and date | |
What the School Should Do in an Emergency
If a child is struggling to breathe, will not wake properly, has a fit lasting more than 5 minutes, has a serious allergic reaction, or has a bad head injury, staff should take them to Limi Children's Hospital straight away (or to the nearest emergency department if they cannot get to Limi quickly) and call the parents on the way. They should not wait for a parent to arrive first.
Children with Long-Term Conditions
A child with asthma, allergy, sickle cell disease, epilepsy or diabetes can do almost everything other children do, if the school has a written plan and the right things in the right place. Meet the class teacher and the school nurse before the first day of term, and give them a written care plan from your child's doctor. If your child is cared for at Limi Children's Hospital, ask the specialist for one at your next clinic appointment.
What the School Must Have
Asthma
Serious Allergy
Sickle Cell Disease
Epilepsy
Diabetes
Read more: asthma, allergies, sickle cell disease, and first aid for fits.
The School Bag and Lunch Box
Every Day
Packed Food That Stays Safe in the Heat
Cooked food should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it is hotter than 32 °C, as it often is in Abuja. Swap fizzy drinks and sweets for water and fruit; they are the main cause of tooth decay in school-age children.
Sleep, Screens and Activity
Children who sleep enough concentrate, behave and learn better. Start the school routine a week before resumption, not the night before.
| Age | Sleep in 24 hours | Physical activity |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 hours, including naps | At least 3 hours of play spread through the day |
| 6 to 12 years | 9 to 12 hours | At least 60 minutes a day that makes them breathe harder |
| 13 to 18 years | 8 to 10 hours | At least 60 minutes a day |
- A fixed bedtime and wake time on school days, and not more than an hour different at weekends.
- Screens off an hour before bed, and phones, tablets and TVs out of the bedroom at night.
- Homework first, then screens, with a daily limit you agree together.
- Breakfast before school, even a small one: pap with milk and groundnuts, bread and egg, or fruit.
Getting There and Back
Transport
Collection
Talking About Bullying and Feelings
Many children do not tell anyone they are being bullied, or that they are worried, until someone asks. Ask open questions at a calm moment, such as in the car or while cooking: "Who did you sit with at lunch?", "What was the best and worst part of today?", "Is there anyone in class who is unkind?"
Signs that something is wrong at school include not wanting to go, stomach aches or headaches on school mornings that settle at weekends, torn clothes or missing things, falling marks, trouble sleeping, and being unusually quiet or angry. For older children, becoming upset after using their phone can be a sign of online bullying.
- Listen first and stay calm. Thank your child for telling you; tell them it is not their fault.
- Write down what happened, when and who, and keep any messages or photos.
- Talk to the class teacher or head, and agree what the school will do and when you will speak again.
- Do not tell your child to hit back, and do not confront the other child or their parents yourself.
- Get help for low mood. If your child talks about not wanting to live or harming themselves, take it seriously and get help the same day. Read our guide to teenage health.
Boarding School Extras
- A long-lasting insecticidal mosquito net, and a reminder to tuck it in every night.
- All medicines handed to the school nurse, in the original packs, with written instructions.
- The name of the hospital the school uses, and how the school will contact you at night.
- Their own cup, plate, spoon and towel, not shared, to reduce the spread of infections.
- Slippers for the bathroom, and a bucket if asked, to reduce fungal foot infections.
- No medicines bought from other students or vendors. Tell your child to go to the sick bay instead.
Questions Parents Ask
Should my child go to school with a fever?
No. Keep a child with a fever (38 °C or more) at home until the fever has gone without medicine for 24 hours, and get a malaria test if you live in or have travelled to a malaria area. Use our fever tool to decide whether they need to be seen today.
How long should a child with vomiting or diarrhoea stay home?
Until 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea, so it does not spread through the class. Keep them drinking; our dehydration tool shows what to watch for.
When can a child with chickenpox or measles go back?
Chickenpox: when all the spots have crusted over, usually about five days after they appear. Measles: four days after the rash started, and only when your child is well. Tell the school, so they can warn parents of babies, pregnant women and children with weak immunity.
How do I know if my child needs glasses?
Many children do not know they cannot see well, because they have never seen clearly. A sight test at school entry and every one to two years is the only reliable way. Signs include screwing up the eyes, sitting close to the board or TV, headaches, and losing their place when reading.
Can the school give my child medicine?
Only with your written permission, in the original labelled pack, and ideally with instructions from the doctor who prescribed it. Ask the school for its medicines policy. Do not send medicines in unlabelled bottles or envelopes.
Can Limi Children's Hospital write a care plan for school?
Yes, for children under our care. Ask for it at your child's clinic appointment and bring the school's own form if it has one. Schools can also read about how we work with schools.
Sources
- World Health Organization. Guideline: preventive chemotherapy to control soil-transmitted helminth infections in at-risk population groups. 2017.
- World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. 2020.
- Paruthi S, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2016 (endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics).
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Bright Futures / AAP recommendations for preventive pediatric health care (periodicity schedule), current edition.
- UK Health Security Agency. Children and young people settings: tools and resources (exclusion guidance for infections). 2023.
- US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. "Danger zone" (40 °F to 140 °F) food safety guidance.
- Global Initiative for Asthma. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention. 2024.
- National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria. HPV vaccine introduction for girls aged 9 to 14. 2023.
Written for parents and carers in NigeriaClinically reviewed by Limi Children’s Hospital cliniciansLast updated September 2026Next review due September 2027