Exciting news! Your niece or nephew is visiting! Are you prepared to manage their chronic illness or allergy– especially in an emergency?

You're ready for that big weekend: not the spa weekend with your friends, but the weekend when your niece and nephew visit you while their parents go out of town. You've got fun-but-not-junky snacks, a stack of kids' DVDs, a list of outdoor games, and your handy joke book. But do you have what you need to handle an emergency – especially if your niece or nephew has a chronic illness, allergy, or other special needs?

It’s important to be ready for an emergency, especially with kids who have special health or developmental needs.  And the first step in preparing for emergencies is to have a conversation with the child's parents. Asking some very specific questions and clarifying any uncertainties you may have about your niece or nephew’s chronic illness and/or allergies upfront will help put everyone’s mind at ease knowing that you are prepared to care for your little visitor in every way!  In an emergency, it can be hard to remember details, so make sure you get all of the advice I share with you below on paper and keep one copy on the fridge and the other in your handbag!

1.     Know Their Issues!

If your niece or nephew has a chronic illness are their specific issues related to that illness and their care that you should be aware of and/or be keeping your eye out for? For example, if your niece or nephew has asthma or epilepsy do you know exactly what to do if they have an asthma attack or a seizure? If they have diabetes, do you know how to check their insulin or help them check it? Do you know how often this needs to be done? Are you aware of any dietary requirements or activity limitations they must abide by in order to stay safe and healthy? Again, make sure you know the procedure and have the equipment you need to handle an emergency.  It is natural for your niece or nephew to try to get away with things when they are with their favorite aunt, so make sure you know the rules upfront from the horse’s mouth – the parents!

2.    Know Their Food Allergies!

Does your niece or nephew have any known food allergies? If so, what are they, and what is the procedure for handling an allergic reaction? Be sure you know what foods to avoid. It’s super important you read food labels on everything and ask questions at restaurants (you'd be surprised where peanuts and other food allergens can hide!) Make sure you know how to administer an epinephrine shot, and know where the EpiPen and other any medications to handle a reaction are kept. Also, make sure you are also aware if there are any foods that have not yet been introduced into your niece or nephew’s diet that are a potential food allergen risk. If so, make sure you avoid them!

3.     Know Their Allergies to Medicines!

Make sure you have a list of all medications your niece or nephew is allergic to! If there is an emergency, the doctor will ask you for these. Not knowing them may slow down emergency care.

4.    Know Their Medications!

Knowing the medications your niece or nephew may be taking is important when caring for them, but if your niece or nephew has a chronic illness you need to be especially careful you are on top of this! The best approach is to make sure you have a comprehensive list of any and all medications the child currently takes as well as any medication the child has taken in the past month (in an emergency this can be important). For each medication on this list you want to know:

•    What is the dosage?
•    When it should be administered?
•    Should it be taken on a full or empty stomach?
•    Are there any side effects you should be aware of?
•    How do you administer the medication?
•    What do you do if there is a missed dosage?
•    Are there are any other things you need to be aware of because of this medication? (For example, if the child is on certain antibiotics you may need to make sure they stay out of the sun.)

5.    Know Their 911 Contacts!

Make sure you have contact information for the child's pediatricians, specialists, health insurance, and local hospitals--in addition to their parents' contact information. Always assume that if you need to call a pediatrician or 911, you should let the parents know what's going on as soon as possible.

And now...relax and have fun! A few minutes of planning for an emergency will put you at ease for the child’s visit. Hopefully you won't need to use that information at all and the biggest crisis will be deciding which toppings go on the pizza!

Editor’s Note: Stephanie Cion is the Founder and CEO of WellAlarm.com, which may help you, and your niece or nephew’s parents, organize this information for you.