Words of wisdom from our school health office

SCHOOL NURSE REMINDERS

Health Questionnaires

If you haven’t returned the health questionnaire sent home by the School Nurse at the beginning of the year, please send this in ASAP.  If you need a new copy, let Deirdre or Kelly know and we will send one to you.

Ticks and Lyme disease

Please continue to check yourselves and your children for ticks after spending time outdoors.  Deer ticks (the tick that transmits Lyme disease) are able to survive throughout the year so the risk of Lyme disease is present year-round, though the highest risk of exposure is during the summer.  In 2014 in Vermont, 70% of cases of Lyme disease occurred between June and September (most in July & August).  Adult stage deer ticks become active every year after the first frost. They're not killed by freezing temperatures, and deer ticks will be active any winter day that the ground is not snow-covered or frozen.

For most tick-borne diseases, you have at least 24 hours to find and remove a feeding tick before it transmits an infection.  It is important to check your children each evening before bathtime or bedtime. Even a quick daily tick check can be helpful in finding and removing attached ticks before they can transmit an infection. You'll probably want to check even more carefully if you know you've likely been exposed. Many of the disease-causing microbes transmitted by ticks need a "re-activation" period in the tick once it begins to feed. The germs eventually make their way into the tick's salivary glands and the tick spits them into you while feeding. Some infections, especially viruses, move into the tick salivary glands faster than others. Lyme disease bacteria take at least 24 hours to invade the tick's saliva.

For more information on ticks, please visit the Vermont Department of Health website @ http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/zoonotic/tickborne/ticks.aspx or feel free to chat with Deirdre or Kelly in the School Health Office.

When to Keep Students Home From School

With cooling temperatures and the close quarters at school, germs and illness spread quickly so please remember the following when your child is ill:

*Always keep your child at home if they have an elevated temperature.  Temperatures should be normal for 24 hours (without Tylenol or Ibuprofen) before he/she returns to school.  Children with a temperature of 100 or above cannot stay in school, and parents will be notified to pick them up.

   *If your child has vomited or had diarrhea, please keep him/her home until 24 hours after the last episode.

   *If your child has any rash that may be disease related or you do not know the cause, check with your family doctor before sending the child to school.

   *If your child has eye drainage and the whites of their eyes are pink or red, please take your child to the doctor.  Your child should not be rubbing his eyes if they are infected.  If the cause is from bacteria, your child may return to school after they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours.

   *If your child has a persistent cough, please keep them home

   *Strep Throat:  Children need to stay at home for 24 hours after antibiotic treatment begins and they are without a fever.

  *Influenza: Children with influenza are typically contagious 1 day before getting ill through 5-7 days after the onset of symptoms.  Please keep your child home for this time period if they are diagnosed with Influenza.

   *Please notify the school immediately if your child develops a communicable disease (strep throat, Influenza, chicken pox, head lice, impetigo, scarlet fever, pink eye, pertussis (whooping cough), etc.)

   *If your child becomes ill or is injured during the school day, you will be notified so arrangements can be made for your child to be taken home.  Please notify the school if your phone number changes so we can contact you.

   *Please read the letters that are sent home by the school nurse.  If there is a communicable disease in your child’s classroom, you will be notified.

   * Children should be dressed appropriately for the season and specific weather. 

   *To prevent the spread of infection:

o  Use good hand washing

o  Cover the cough

o  Keep your child home if they are sick

Please be in touch at any time with any questions or concerns.  

Warm regards,

Deirdre and Kelly

dfennelly@wwsu.org

klu@wwsu.org