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If your child has missed school because they’ve been ill or are suffering from another illness, a trip to the doctor may end up costing them money instead of saving it. Insurance companies will not reimburse you for your children’s lost time at school because of illness. They cannot and will not cover the cost of lost school time. Parents who think that their child might be sick before their school day comes to an end are advised against taking a trip to a pediatrician or a general practitioner. However, there are some other options open to you.
If your student has a physical ailment that prevents him/her from sitting for the entire test, one solution is to administer the test early. This can be done by the principal, a teacher, or a parent. If the test is to be taken by one of these individuals, then a parent should take a specimen of the child’s blood at home, empty the vial beforehand, and then administer the test. The specimen is to be tested in the morning right after waking up. The parent, if he/she is a qualified medical professional, will need to find out from the school physician for the exact test that is to be administered. In some cases, the pediatrician will be able to review the results and come to a conclusion regarding whether or not your child should take the test.
There are other methods available for those who wish to administer the test themselves. In some situations, the student might decide that he/she would like to take the test in the presence of a friend or family member and ask if the friend or family member would be willing to accompany the student during his/her class period. In this situation, it is crucial that the student chooses a friend who has a valid excuse for missing school. For example, if a student feels sick, then it is perfectly acceptable for a friend to sit through the test with the sick student.
A third option would be to purchase a test book from a local bookstore or drug store, and follow the directions on how to take a blood draw. No special instructions are needed, but the test does carry a certain amount of risk, as anyone who knows how to do a blood draw can easily administer the test incorrectly. It is also important to understand how long the test should be held before it is given, and whether or not there are any restrictions on who may be tested (i.e. pregnant women, people under medical treatments, etc).
Once the results are back, the results will need to be read carefully by the doctor. Some doctors will want to meet with the parents immediately to review the test and discuss the results. If there is still a concern, the doctor may ask the parents to come back as soon as possible. Once the doctor has reviewed the test results, he/she will determine whether or not to proceed with the child. If so, a treatment plan will be recommended.
Finally, before the test is done, the child should be made aware of what he/she is expected to do. The doctor will tell the parents what they are required to do before the test, what they should do after the test, and what they should do if there is still a concern. If the child shows no signs of an infection, they should not be bathed for two hours before the test. They should not be given medicine that may be irritants to the test, such as sunscreen. They should also not play sports or do anything that might dehydrate them before or after the test.