From the School Nurse
October 22, 2008
Dear Parents,
We are having some problems with this cold, flu and other virus season. Here are some helpful hints for ensuring your child remains healthy and the other students are not exposed to those “bugs, germs, viruses and other infections” that occur this time of the year. These guidelines come from the Nebraska State Department of Health.
The primary way that your child can prevent some of the following illnesses is to teach them to wash their hands before eating, drinking and after using the bathroom. They should also know that it is not okay to share food or drinks with other students.
CONJUNCTIVITIS (PINK EYE): Exclude from school until treatment has been started. If your child has red, itchy eyes and has some yellow purulent drainage coming from them PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL AS THIS IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS!
They will need to be seen by a physician as this takes a prescription antibiotic eye drop to cure this problem.
HERPES SIMPLEX, TYPE I (COLD SORES): No exclusion is necessary. Avoid sharing of towels. Have your child keep their hands off the sore and if they do touch it tell them to wash immediately with soap and water.
ELEVATED BODY TEMPERATURE: for temperatures greater than 100 degrees F., exclude until the temperature remains normal for 12-24 hours. DO NOT GIVE YOUR STUDENT TYLENOL OR IBUPROPHEN TO BRING THE TEMPERATURE DOWN AND SEND THEM TO SCHOOL. THE TEMPERATURE WILL RETURN AND THEN THEY HAVE EXPOSED EVERYONE THEY CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HERE AT SCHOOL.
If your student has a cold and is coughing excessively please do not send them to school to expose the other students. When giving medicine for cough it usually wears off in 4 hours please send some hard candy or more cough medicine for me to give them with the appropriate forms.
