Are you making a to-do list for the new year? Add some of these tasks to your to-do list to help you as your manage your child’s food allergies:

Update Insurance Information

1. Give your child’s health care providers your new insurance information. Most doctor’s offices verify and update insurance records each year. Contact your doctor to find out updating your child’s insurance information. You may have to update the information even if you didn’t change insurance policies. Doing it now will save you time at future appointments.
   
   
2. Update your insurance information with your pharmacy. Just like the doctor, your pharmacy will need your child’s current insurance information so there is no delay when filling prescriptions.
   
   
3. Find out if your child’s medicines are still covered on your prescription plan. Health insurance providers usually update the list of medicines they cover each year. This list is called a formulary. Look for the medicines on your formulary. If they are not covered, let your doctor know as soon as possible. They may be able to change the medicines to ones that are covered by your health plan. If you get those new prescriptions now, you won’t risk scrambling at the last minute to get the new medicines when the old ones run out.

Check in With School

4. Check medicines at school. Now is a good time to contact your child’s school to verify the expiration dates on any medicines they keep on hand for your child, such as epinephrine auto-injectors or asthma inhalers. Also check to see if any medicines need to be replenished. Check the counter on any asthma inhalers.
   
   
5. Restock your child’s safe treat box. Food-focused holidays, like Valentine’s Day and Easter, are coming up. Take a new batch of safe treats to your child’s teacher so your child has plenty of their own special snacks during future classroom parties.
   
   
6. Ask your child’s teacher about upcoming projects. Some school projects can involve food or craft supplies that contain allergens. Find out what is planned for the semester ahead of time so you can check ingredients and talk to the teacher about safe substitutes.
   
   
7. If you child starts kindergarten in the fall, start 504 plan discussions with their school now. The sooner you start working on the Section 504 plan, the better.

Plan for Winter Weather

8. Protect your child’s medicines from cold weather. Epinephrine, as well as other medicines, can be sensitive to cold weather, making them less effective. During winter activities – like sledding, skiing or playing in the snow – keep auto-injectors protected from the cold. And don’t leave them in your car.
   
   
9. Prepare for an emergency. If you are in an area that can be affected by winter weather or frequent power outages, make sure you have an emergency plan and supplies. Have extra medicines, shelf-stable safe food that doesn’t need to be cooked, water and supplies on hand in case you have to evacuate or lose power.