Important Health Notes (information sheet)

 

Important Health Notes from the Nurse:

 

The control of communicable disease during the school year is a difficult problem and a grave responsibility. The first responsibility must fall upon the home as parents know the normal appearance of their children and should be the first to detect signs of illness.

 

The symptoms of a cold can also be the symptoms of communicable diseases. The following rules will help control communicable diseases in the community. Please keep this sheet at a convenient location for reference.

 

1. Do not send your students to school if they show signs of illness.

 

2. Do not send your student to school for the nurse to decide whether they should be in school. If in any doubt, call the family physician.

 

3. Some of the signs and symptoms of acute illness are: 

 

       Restless at night
       Fever (oral temp 100.0 or more)

       Runny nose

       Sneezing and coughing

       Rash

       Nausea or vomiting

       Diarrhea

       Red, watering eyes

       Flushed face or paleness

       Headache

       Swelling neck or face

       Earache

 

5. If your student shows any of the above signs, they should be kept at home. If there is any doubt, call the family physician.

 

6. Keep your students home until their temperature has been normal for one whole day. The normal temperature is about 98.6 F. Take the temperature at mid-afternoon each day; students should not return to school until they have been fever free without fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours and the student is free of symptoms of acute illness.  Any student with an undiagnosed rash should remain out of school until all symptoms are gone or a physician verifies the student is not contagious and is well enough to return to school. If every parent follows these procedures, it will save much suffering and the spread of contagious diseases, some of which may be life-threatening. Please do not hesitate to call your physician if you have any questions regarding your student. 

 

7. Please contact the nurse if you need assistance with finding medical care or a provider for your student.