Medically Fragile Designation Tip Sheet
The decision to designate a child as medically fragile often depends upon the severity of the child’s illness and/or the frequency of their symptoms. Some medical diagnoses can be present to a greater or lesser degree in a child, influencing whether the child requires the designation of medically fragile. The basic categories of medical needs requiring the medically fragile designation are listed below.
· Medical condition, documented by a physician, that may become unstable and change abruptly resulting in a life-threatening situation;
· Chronic and progressive illness including, but not limited to:
o Kidney problems requiring dialysis;
o Organ transplants;
o Open heart surgery;
o Cancer;
o Severe chronic respiratory disease;
o Terminal illness;
o Head injuries;
o Seizure Disorder that is not well-controlled by medication; or
o Severe disability that requires medical technological assistance.
· Need for a special service or ongoing medical support, including, but not limited to:
o Nasal-gastric tube feeding;
o Continuous nasal oxygen administration;
o Intravenous lines;
o Intravenous medication therapy;
o Deep inter-muscular injections; or
o Tracheotomy.
· Health condition stable enough to be in a home setting only with frequent monitoring by an attending physician with a current and active Kentucky license or care of a nurse with a current and active Kentucky license, including, but not limited to:
o Insulin Dependent Diabetes;
o Neurological or physical impairments to a degree that the child is non-ambulatory and requires twenty-four hour monitoring;
o Feeding problems that require nasal gastric or gastronomy tubes;
o Tracheotomy requiring frequent suctioning and changing; or
o Neurological/behavioral difficulties related to prenatal substance abuse.