When A Student Has Addison's : A Guide For Schools & Parents

Our booklet "When a student has Addison's: a guide for schools and parents" was written to help young people with Addison's who are in education to explain the condition, considerations needed and support required by a school or educational establishment.

The booklet covers the following information:

What is Addison's
Day to day symptoms
Managing medication and fluids
Medical jewellery and other documentation
The Individual Healthcare Plan
Absences and support for education missed
Outside the classroom: school trips and sports
Exam arrangements
Transition to another school
Responding to sickness, injury and emergencies
Legislative guidance and further information
Suggested Individual Healthcare Plan template
Other essential contacts

Download Booklet

Latest

Preparing your own Emergency Kit for Addison's or Adrenal Insufficiency - 16/04/2021

Preparing an emergency kit is something every person with Addison's or Adrenal Insufficiency should do once they have a diagnosis. Kits are sometimes provided ready-made by medics and can also be purchased online. Here we help you create your own emergency kit in seven steps.
Useful links to other organisations

This section provides electronic links to the websites of other organisations in the UK and around the world that provide support and information to people with Addison's and adrenal insufficiency. As many people with Addison's also live with other autoimmune conditions too, we have included some links to relevant patient groups for these conditions.
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - 16/04/2021

Our medics have been keeping an eye on pandemic developments. This page is up to date but we will continue updating it regularly as we find out more information from the government.
Becca’s positive pants 10 mile walk

To show how far I’ve come since my diagnosis nearly 3 years ago... from not being able to stand in the shower let alone walk 10 miles.

Fasting with Adrenal Insufficiency

A patient leaflet for people living with adrenal insufficiency who are thinking about fasting for Ramadan. It gives tips on reducing the risks of becoming ill if you decide to fast, when it's advisable not to fast and offers alternatives to those who are considered too high risk for fasting.
How to give an emergency injection - leaflets for your kit

Having the instructions for your injection kit helps you, or anyone coming to your aid, to inject you. We have a selection of guides your can print, fold and add to your kit. Be careful to choose instructions that match the type of medication that you have available.
Printable Hospital Stickers

The ADSHG drugs chart steroid alert stickers are intended for people with Addison's to take with them for day case and inpatient surgical procedures to alert nursing and medical staff to their steroid-dependence and their time-critical need for steroid medication when unwell.
Diagnosing Addison's Disease : A Guide For GPs

Our leaflet, 'Diagnosing Addison's: a guide for GPs', has been developed for the ADSHG by our Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP), led by Professor John Wass. It outlines the role of the GP in the early detection of Addison's.
Personal Emergency Plan

This Personal Medical Emergency Plan template is a useful way of summarising your personal medical needs in the event of an emergency, for friends, family or work colleagues.
Posters for Health Professionals: Emergency Kits Available Here

Posters for Health Professionals: Emergency Kits Available Here
About the Addison's Disease Self Help Group

This leaflet, About the Addisons Disease Self Help Group outlines the scope of the Addison's Disease Self Help Group. This leaflet is designed to help people with Addison's, their carers, medics and other interested parties to undertand our work and how we can support those with Addison's and Adrenal Insufficiency.
ADSHG adrenal crisis guidelines

The ADSHG adrenal crisis guidelines give emergency medical treatment guidance for ambulance or hospital staff in the event of a person with Addison's experiencing an adrenal crisis. These guidelines should be signed by your GP or specialist, to verify your condition.
Caring for the Irish patient: Information for GPs

The leaflet, 'Caring for the Irish patient with Addison's: information for GPs', has been developed for the ADSHG by the Addison's Ireland Clinical Advisory Panel (AICAP), led by Professor Christopher Thompson. It outlines the role of the GP in managing Addison’s disease at each stage in the patient lifecycle from diagnosis to old age, taking into account the health system in the Republic of Ireland..
Nursing The Addison's Patient

'Nursing the Addison's patient: notes for nurses' was written with hospital ward nursing staff in mind, for those times when anyone with Addison's becomes an inpatient. This might be for elective surgery or during the recovery from an adrenal crisis.

Updated NHS Steroid Card Released

Following the early release of the new NHS Steroid Emergency Card back in March to keep patients with Addison's or adrenal insufficiency safe during the COVID-19 crisis, the NHS steroid card has been updated and physical copies will be available to order from Tuesday 18th August 2020 for hospital teams!
New Video: Managing medication and COVID-19 - 29/03/2020

In our latest video, ADSHG Trustee and Professor of Endocrinology explains how to manage your medication should you get ill in the coming weeks.
Behind the News: Hydrocortisone as a Covid-19 Treatment - 09/12/2020

In recent days, UK news networks have been sharing a story about new studies hailing Hydrocortisone as a Covid-19 treatment. We asked our medics to review the research and the emerging stories so that we can give you a balanced perspective while also updating you on any impacts to the drug supplies we depend on.
ADSHG in The Guardian - Rare Diseases edition!

We are delighted that our article "Think Addison's disease - save a life", is featured in today's Guardian newspaper Rare Diseases supplement!
Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine - Personal Stories

The COVID-19 vaccination campaign has kicked off - but what does it feel like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? People with Addison's and adrenal insufficiency share their experiences of receiving the vaccine.
New UK Rare Diseases Framework launched

On 9 January 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care published the UK Rare Diseases Framework. But what does this policy mean for those with Addison’s disease, adrenal insufficiency and the rare disease community as a whole?
Research Update - Professor Arlt's Perspective - 17/03/2020

In 2017, Weibke Arlt, a member of our Clinical Advisory Panel, published research about Addison's and natural killer cells. In recent weeks, it's gone viral in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. We asked her to give her perspectives on what that means for us. She kindly tweeted her responses yesterday.
Easing lockdown: How are you feeling? - 10/5/2020

It's important to remember you're not alone in experiencing a range of emotions after adapting to lockdown life.
Coronavirus Vaccines and Adrenal Insufficiency

Everyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition should get the coronavirus vaccine to reduce their risk of getting coronavirus. This is because people who are steroid-dependent are at increased risk of needing hospital care if they get coronavirus, due to the risk of adrenal crisis.
[Superceded] EJE Guidance: Managing Adrenal Insufficiency in the time of COVID-19 - 21/04/2020

the European Journal of Endocrinology (EJE) editoral board has commissioned a new guidance series for the management of endocrine conditions during COVID-19. Included within this is clinical guidance for the management of Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency. Here we take a look at this vital new guidance, so you can get a clearer view of what this means for you or your loved ones.

Research Grants

Our charity is at the forefront of medical research into Addison's Disease. Help us fund medical researchers working in this important field of endocrine research. Read more