Common Pediatric Problems in Schools

Wednesdays 8:00 – 9:00AM

There were about 1.8 million children and adolescents enrolled in Illinois schools last year (ISBE, 2025). The average Illinois school nurse serves 750 students (IL General Assembly, 2025). Additionally, there are over 60 school-based and school-linked health centers, including 38 funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health.  Together, they provide millions of units of direct medical services to Illinois K-12 students each year (HFS, 2009). School health services have been shown to have a positive impact on both chronic disease management and academic outcomes (Leroy, Wallin, and Lee, 2017).  However, their unique role can also present challenges. A systematic review by Uhm, Choi, and Lee (2020) examine school nurses’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to caring for students with chronic conditions. Some of the notable barriers identified included nurses’ knowledge of best practices, their confidence in implementing best practices, engagement of parents and other stakeholders, and a lack of practical guidelines for management of chronic diseases in the school setting. This ECHO series will help to reduce these barriers by providing additional training and mentorship that can help school nurses and school-based health centers implement best practices for managing and treating the most common issues they encounter.

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Illinois School Code and Public Health Code
• Connecting with Teens and School Age Children
• Minor Rights in IL
• IEP and 504s
• Dental Issues and Dental Emergencies
• Skin Issues
• Concussions
• Food Allergies
• Communicable Diseases
• Behavioral Health
• Stomach Pain
• Injuries and First Aid