Back to School 2026: Emergency and First Aid Guide for Children

September brings back-to-school energy—and with it, more daily movement for kids. School buses, playgrounds, gyms and club activities can increase minor injuries and unexpected health issues [3]Source: CDC Children's Safety — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The checklist below targets the 2026–2027 academic year for Istanbul families and schools, aligning the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB) school-health framework with international clinical guidance for asthma, anaphylaxis, and head-injury triage.

Back to School 2026: Emergency and First Aid Guide

1) School and Bus Safety Checklist

• Are seat belts functional and properly used on the bus? Is your child seated correctly with height-appropriate belts?
• Add an information card in the backpack including:
  • Parent/guardian name and phone
  • Physician info (if applicable)
  • Known allergies (medication, food, insect)
  • Chronic conditions (asthma, epilepsy, diabetes…)
• Clarify how the school counsellor / health coordinator will be contacted in an emergency. Under the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB) school-health framework, monitoring students with chronic conditions (diabetes, asthma, coeliac disease, etc.) at school is the school health nurse's responsibility; the nurse advises teachers and families. It is important for the family to give the child's medication and action plan to the school administration and the nurse in writing [7]Source: MEB School Health Nurses Directive (Okul Sağlığı Hemşireleri Yönergesi) — Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB).
• Prepare a family emergency plan (who calls whom, backup contacts, home–work distance and ETA).

2) Allergies, Asthma and Chronic Conditions

• Provide signed consent forms and physician notes for regular medications.
• Asthma school coordination: Keep a spare inhaler, spacer, and a written asthma action plan with the teacher and the counselling office; locking the inhaler in a cabinet defeats the purpose because symptom onset gives only minutes [1]Source: AHA CPR & First Aid — American Heart Association[2]Source: European Resuscitation Council (ERC) — European Resuscitation Council.
• Severe allergies and the EpiPen protocol: AAFP guidance is explicit — first-line treatment for anaphylaxis is "intramuscular epinephrine into the anterolateral thigh," ideally administered within the first few minutes of symptom onset [4]Source: Anaphylaxis: Recognition and Management — AAFP — American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). For a child with a documented anaphylaxis risk, it is recommended to keep an adrenaline auto-injector both at school and with the child; having at least two adults (for example the class teacher and the nurse/administrator) trained in its use is important for safety [8]Source: Anaphylaxis Action Plan and Adrenaline Auto-Injector Use in Children — Turkish National Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (AİD). How this is arranged varies by school and resources; in Turkey, adrenaline auto-injectors are not routinely stocked in pharmacies and are often sourced from abroad, so family supply and sharing with the school matters [8]Source: Anaphylaxis Action Plan and Adrenaline Auto-Injector Use in Children — Turkish National Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (AİD). AAFP also suggests schools consider maintaining an "institutional supply of epinephrine auto-injector for general use" [4]Source: Anaphylaxis: Recognition and Management — AAFP — American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
• Paediatric asthma action plan: A green–yellow–red zone plan (peak-flow or symptom-based) should be visible in the classroom; the PE teacher needs to know the pre-exercise rescue-inhaler rule.

3) Sports and Play Injuries: First Steps

• For ankle sprains/knee twists: RICE protocol—Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation [1]Source: AHA CPR & First Aid — American Heart Association[2]Source: European Resuscitation Council (ERC) — European Resuscitation Council.
• For cuts: gently rinse with clean water; if bleeding, apply pressure with sterile gauze [1]Source: AHA CPR & First Aid — American Heart Association.
• For head bumps with red flags (dizziness, vomiting, drowsiness): stop activity and seek medical assessment [2]Source: European Resuscitation Council (ERC) — European Resuscitation Council.

4) When to Call 112 or an Ambulance

“Red flag” symptoms may signal a serious condition:

• Shortness of breath, wheezing, cyanosis, difficulty speaking [1]Source: AHA CPR & First Aid — American Heart Association[2]Source: European Resuscitation Council (ERC) — European Resuscitation Council
• Altered consciousness, repeated vomiting, seizures
• Severe allergic reaction (tongue/lip/throat swelling, widespread hives) [1]Source: AHA CPR & First Aid — American Heart Association[3]Source: CDC Children's Safety — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Uncontrolled bleeding or obvious deformity (suspected fracture)
• Severe abdominal pain, with fever and weakness

Call 112 or Nova Ambulans (0216 339 00 39) in these situations. Nova Ambulans can support with rapid access, the right equipment and experienced staff.

5) Mini Emergency Kit for the Backpack

• Assorted bandages and small sterile gauze
• Medical tape, small scissors, disposable gloves
• Antiseptic wipes, instant cold pack
• Personal medications with instructions (if any)

6) Communication and Education

• Keep regular contact with teachers/admin; watch for bullying, anxiety and psychosomatic signs.
• Teach your child simple first aid: pressure on bleeding, leaning forward for nosebleeds with gentle pinch.

Being prepared reduces panic and helps you make better decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a school first aid kit contain?

A school first aid kit should include adhesive bandages, sterile gauze, antiseptic wipes, an instant cold pack, medical tape, scissors, disposable gloves, a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) face shield, and any student-specific medications like epinephrine auto-injectors or inhalers.

When should a school call an ambulance for a child?

Call an ambulance immediately for loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulty, serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), suspected fractures, seizures lasting more than 5 minutes, or any head/spinal injury. Do not attempt to transport a seriously injured child by car.

How can schools prepare for allergic emergencies?

Schools should maintain updated allergy action plans for each affected student, train staff on epinephrine auto-injector use, ensure medications are accessible (not locked away), and conduct regular emergency drills that include anaphylaxis scenarios.