Elementary Nurse

During the year, your child will be sent to the nurse in case of illness or accident.  You, or the person you name, will be notified if your child must be sent home and it will be up to you to get medical attention.  If the emergency is so great that the child must be taken immediately from school for medical attention, you will be notified as soon as possible.School Health

For the protection of all the students, the following rules have been set forth and will be adhered to at all times.  A child will be sent home if he/she has any of the following symptoms:

1. Fever 100 degrees or above
2. Suspected contagious illness
3. Vomiting
4. Diarrhea
5. Suspected contagious rash
6. Feels too badly to remain at school

If your child has any of the above symptoms prior to coming to school, please keep the child at home.  A child must be free of fever for 24 hours before returning to school.  Medicating your child with Acetaminophen, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or Motrin does not constitute being fever-free.  A child with a suspected conjunctivitis (pink-eye) should be kept at home and will have to be evaluated by a doctor before returning to school.  If the doctor confirms the child has conjunctivitis, the child will have to be on an antibiotic eye drop for 24 hours before returning to school.  We can allow your child to rest at school, but only until arrangements can be made for them to go home.

If your child has been diagnosed with any chronic health condition, please inform the nurse.  This includes:  asthma, seizures, migraines, anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction), diabetes, heart or lung abnormalities, arthritis, ADHD/ADD, or any disease of concern.  Please keep all medical information updated throughout the school year and notify the school if any of your emergency contact numbers change.

IMMUNIZATIONS

To enter school:  State Law requires new entrants to provide an immunization record or a signed exemption.  These are the required immunizations:

Children enrolled in pre-kindergarten or early childhood programs shall have the following immunizations (at the ages indicated) against:  DTaP (dipheria, pertussis, tetanus), IPV (polio), HIB (haemophilus influenza type b), MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, PCV (Pneumococcal), and Varicella. 

Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade shall have the following vaccines, according to the schedule listed.

1. Diptheria/ Pertussis/ Tetanus (DTaP):  Students are required to have four doses- one of which must have been received on or after the fourth birthday.  Students seven years of age or older are required to have at least three doses, provided at least one dose was received on or after the fourth birthday.
2. Tetanus (Tdap) Booster:  For students in seventh grade, one dose of the Tdap is required if at least five years have passed since the last dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine.  For students in grades 8-12, one dose received 10 years after the last DTP/DTaP/Tdap dose is required. If a medical contraindication to pertussis exists, Td is acceptable in place of Tdap.
3. Polio (IPV):  Students are required to have three doses, one of which must have been received on or after the fourth birthday. 
4. Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR):  Students are required to have two doses with the first dose received on or after the first birthday and the second dose required upon entry into kindergarten.
5. Hepatitis B (Hep B):  Students are required to have three doses.
6. Varicella (chicken pox):   All students are required to have two doses with the first dose received on or after the first birthday or have on file a written statement from a parent/guardian or physician showing date of illness.  
7. Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV):  Students in 7^th-12^th grade are required to have one dose of the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine received on or after the student’s 11^th
8. Hepatitis A (Hep A):  Kindergarten-8^th grade students are required to have two doses with the first dose received on or after the first birthday.

For more information, refer to the Texas Department of State Health Services website,
http://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunize/school/school-requirements.aspx.

The Texas Dept. of Health has decreed that all new students entering the school system must have their shots up to date or on schedule within 30 days of entering school.

Immunizations may be obtained from one of the following:

    Your physician

     MEHOP
     101 N. Avenue F, Bay City, 979-245-2008 

VISION & HEARING

All 4 year old and kindergarten students are screened annually, as well as any 1st time entrants.  Annual screens are also done in grades 1, 3, 5, & 7 or anytime it's requested by a teacher or a parent.

MEDICATIONS

According to Texas Law Family Code 21.914, authorized employees of the school may administer medication to a student provided:

     A signed written request to administer the medication from the parent, legal guardian, or other person 
     having legal control of the student is sent to school with the medication.

     All medication must be in the original container and properly labeled with the name of the drug.

     All prescription medication must also be labeled with above information including student's name,
     doctor's name, dosage and times to be given and dated.

Students are to check in all medication into the office so that they can be properly dispensed during school hours.

SPINAL SCREENING

All students in grades 5 and 8 will receive the spinal screening.  If for religious reasons, you wish to not have your child screened, you need to submit an affidavit of religious exemption to the nurse's office. 

HEAD LICE

What are head lice?

The head louse is a very small insect (parasite) about the size of a pin that lives on the human head by sucking blood.  The eggs (nits) are tiny tan or gray specks securely glued to the hair shaft (usually close to the scalp).  They live about a month and reproduce rapidly with the life cycle of one week from nit to louse and another week from louse to producing nits.  A female may lay as many as 100 eggs in her lifetime.

Who gets head lice?

Lice are no respecters of persons.  Anyone can get them.  Personal cleanliness is not necessarily a factor in having head lice.  They exist primarily with young school-age children.  Girls can get them more often than boys.

How are lice spread?

Head lice do not fly, hop, or jump and do not live on animals or anything other than humans.  They are transmitted from person to person by direct contact and by contact with personal items (combs, brushes, hats, headgear, etc), clothing, and bedding (including pillows).  Places a person can get head lice are:  day care centers, babysitters' houses, relatives' houses, dance/gym class, movie theaters, public transportation sources (planes, buses), share lockers, slumber parties, church activities and any place that there is contact with another's head.

What are the symptoms?

Usually the person will have itching and scratching.  However, confirmation of lice is made by careful examination to identify the live louse and/or nits.

What is the treatment for head lice?

Medicated shampoos, creams, or gels kill lice but these are to be used along with several steps of cleaning to assure their elimination.  Please read and understand the instructions on treatment.  These medications are not recommended for children under age 2.  People should not use the pediculicides unless they have lice.  If you have questions, ask your pharmacist.  All the nits (eggs) must be removed to complete the treatment process.

How do you get rid of lice?

The best cure is prevention.  People, including children, should not share personal items (combs, brushes, hats, etc.) or bedding.  These items should be washed frequently.  Floors, carpets, furniture, etc., should be vacuumed frequently.  Parents should inspect their children's heads, hair, and scalp frequently.

How concerned should I be?

There is no reason to panic.  Unfortunately this is a fairly common problem.  It is a nuisance and inconvenience, but lice do not cause disease or other health problems.  A lice infestation concern is made worse when parents and teachers overreact creating unkindness and mistreatment among children.  Handling the problem responsibly according to accepted guidelines is the best response to a lice infestation.

METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPH AUREUS 

What is Staphylococcus aureus or Staph?

Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to as "staph," are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes, it can cause an infection that can look like pimples or boils. Skin infections caused by Staph may be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. Some Staph bacteria are resistant to certain antibiotics, making it harder to treat. This is called Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). The information on this page applies to both Staph and MRSA.

Who gets a Staph infection: 

Anyone can get a Staph infection. People are more likely to get a Staph infection if they have:

• Skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a Staph infection
• Prolonged contact with items and surfaces that have Staph on them
• Openings in their skin such as cuts scrapes or lesions
• Crowded living conditions
• Poor hygiene

How serious are Staph infections? 

Most Staph skin infections are minor and may be easily treated. Staph also may cause more serious infections, such as infections of the bloodstream, surgical sites, or pneumonia. Sometimes, a Staph infection that starts as a skin infection may worsen. It is important to contact your doctor if your infection does not get better.

How are Staph infections treated?

Treatment for a Staph skin infection may include taking an antibiotic or having a doctor a doctor drain the infection. If you are given an antibiotic, be sure and take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better, unless your doctor tells you to stop taking it. Do not share antibiotics with other people or save them to use later. Take antibiotics only under the care of a physician.

How can I prevent Staph or MRSA skin infections:

Practice good hygiene:

• Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed
• Avoid contact with other peoples wounds or bandages
• Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors

Need more information? 

If you have any questions about your condition, please contact your doctor. More information on Staphylococcus aureusand MRSA can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Website: www.cdc.gov

FLU INFORMATION

www.TexasFlu.org

Links & Resources

Texas Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control
National Association of School Nurses
American Cancer Society