Hi, We too have battled this problem and have won. First let me ask how old your son is. We waited until our daughter was in HS (she attended an international HS in the 7th & 8th grade) before requesting she be allowed to carry her pancrease and other meds with her. Our younger, currently 8th grade, daughter doesn't carry her enzymes. Our school district is extremely strict on meds of any type. Not even so much as a cough drop or throat lozenge is allowed to be carried. We are military and our oldest daughter, now a Jr, has been to three different schools and is currently on her fourth (same district, newly built HS) school where she was allowed to carry her enzymes. I won't even talk about her first school since it was overseas and we didn't have a problem. Her first HS in the US was a private school, being a religious school their rules are more easily bent (I think). The nurse was familiar with CF as there had been a student the previous year with CF. We simply got our letter from the doctor explaining the need. At her current school though the arguement was a tougher one. I am not good at controlling my emotions when it comes to discussing and insisting on the need for my daughter to be allowed to carry her enzymes. I see red & my voice gets all shakey at their total unwillingness to cooperate so I had my husband go in. We had our letter from the CF doctor explaining in brief what CF is, the need for enzymes and the extreme importance for them to be taken at the right time. It was also explained that CF was a lifelong disease and that she had been taking them all her life and would continue to do so. That she was of responsible age to carry her enzymes and that it was neccessary for her to carry her enzymes. Still the nurse said she could not change policy. My husband then said he would go to the superintendent. The nurse, let me say, was in total agreement. The nurse said she too would speak to the superintendent. After speaking with the superintendent he did agree to allow Anna to carry her meds. The letter from the CF clinic also included the statement asking them to call with any questions. I was worried when we moved here and she no longer was going to a private school that we would not be able to get them to allow her to carry her enzymes. Our clinic here reassured me that they have met with the struggle before and have always had success with convincing the schools to allow their HS age CF'ers to carry their enzymes. I don't know, maybe we were just lucky. We also made sure that the new HS nurse (the one at the newly built HS that she attends now) had the "CF in your classroom" booklet. We also gave permission (which we have to do here for any info. to be given to any teacher or faculty member) for the nurse to inform. any faculty member including the kitchen staff, if needed, that our daughter had permission to take her enzymes. She also carries a letter in her planner stating that she has permission to carry her enzymes, tylenol, inhaler and cough/throat lozenges. She has strict instructions to see the nurse if she has had to use her inhaler. When you say administrator, are you speaking principal or superintendent? Has it been explained to them that enzymes are not addicting and are not mood altering, nor will they harm a person who takes them that doesn't need them? Another arguement to consider. How long does it take to get through the lunch line at his school? How much time does he have for lunch? Where is his class before lunch in relation to the lunch room? Where is the office in relation to the lunchroom and his class just before lunch? There is a time limit on enzymes. Ideally no more than 15 minutes prior to food, preferrably just before eating. Take them after they say???? Our docs say its hard for the enzymes to play "catch up" with food unless they are taken right after eating. Not to mention the time it takes to get from the lunchroom to the office and then to the next class. He doesn't need to be tardy every day. If his lunch time is cut short then he risks not taking in enough calories, resulting in weightloss, with the end result being more suceptable to infections. Meaning possible hospitalizations, missing school, not getting the proper instructions or good enough instructions to do his lessons resulting in more stress because he's trying to catch up, stay caught up and keep his grades up. (of course you know all that last part, I'm sure)I hope I have been of some help or at least given you some more points to make with your son's school. If the adminisrators you are talking about is not the superintendent then it is him/her you need to speak with. Be sure too that your letter from your sons doctor states that he <b>NEEDS</b> to carry them not just that he is responsible enough to carry them. And last of all, if your sons not in HS yet, I don't know how effective any of these arguements will be. Much luck and just keep badgering them.Liza
