nurse

Parents should keep a child home from school following these health guidelines:

• If a child has a runny or stuffy nose with flu-like symptoms.

• Twenty-four (24) hours after a fever breaks.

• If a child is sick during the night or before school.

• If strep throat is suspected, the child must have a strep test taken to be sure that strep is not present. The child may come to school when the strep test reads negative.

• Children having diarrhea.

If a child becomes ill while in school, the parents will be notified.  A child who exhibits the following signs of illness will be isolated from the other children (in the clinic or the office) and must be picked up by the parents:

• a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (taken by auxiliary methods)

• skin rash

• diarrhea and/or vomiting two or more times in the same day

• evidence of lice infection

If you have concerns about flu, click here to view the Ohio Department of Health Pandemic H1N1 Information website.

The following is a list of the most common communicable diseases and their symptoms:

• Chicken Pox: Feverishness . . . rash appears in the form of small pimples which, in a day fill up with a clear fluid. Incubation period between 14-21 days

• Measles (Rubeola): Head cold, feverish, watery eyes, sneezing. Blotchy red rash appears on forehead, face and body. Incubation period between 7 -14 days

• German Measles (Rubella or Three Day Measles): Mild measles . . . blotchy,

• Mumps: Fever, swelling on side of face and jaws as glands become swollen and tender. Incubation period between 12-26 days. Isolation period until swelling of glands has disappeared.

• Scarlet Fever and Streptococcal (sore throat): Fever, headache, sore throat, vomiting. A fine rash appears with scarlet fever. Incubation period between two and five days. Isolation for 48 hours after start of antibiotic treatment. May be readmitted to school upon receipt of a written statement that the child has been treated. The name of the physician should be included.

• Impetigo: Blister-like lesions which later develop into crusted pus-like sores which are irregular in outline. Incubation period two to five days, occasionally longer. Communicable from onset of symptoms until sores are healed. Child will be excluded from school until adequately treated and sores are no longer draining.

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Redness and swelling of the membranes of one or both eyes with burning and itching, sensitivity to light, and a discharge. Immediate medical treatment needed. Exclusion from school until fully recovered. Communicable during the course of the infection until discharge ceases.

Emergency Medical Authorization forms for all students are sent home the first week of school. Click on the links below if your child needs a new or updated copy of the following forms:

• Medication Policy and Physician and Parent Request for the Administration of Medication by School Personnel (if your child requires medication during school hours)
• Authorization for Student Possession and Use of an Epinephrine Autoinjector
• Authorization for Student Possession and Use of an Asthma Inhaler
• Emergency Medical Authorization

Please click here to read a story about dry drowning at InjuryBoard.com.  According the Center for Disease Control (CDC)  3,600 people drowned in 2005. About 10 to 15 percent were dry drownings, which can occur up to 24 hours after water is breathed into the lungs.

Many parents are concerned about recent news accounts concerning methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of "staph" infection that frequently causes skin infections and can be difficult to treat. Because of this concern, we have received general information from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the Ohio Department of Health to help educate parents and students on MRSA and provide answers to common questions. We are assisting with education efforts by sharing answers to frequently asked questions about MRSA:

What are common symptoms of MRSA?

Common signs of a skin infection include redness, warmth, swelling and tenderness. Often a MRSA infection will look like a spider bite, boil, abscess or pimple. If left untreated, it could progress into a more serious illness.

How is MRSA spread?

In outbreak situations, the environment has not played a significant role in the transmission of MRSA. Studies in health care and community settings show skin-to-skin contact, direct contact with infected wound drainage or contact with contaminated surfaces or things such as sports equipment as the likely sources of transmission. MRSA skin infections are not spread through the air.

How can students protect themselves?

Students can protect themselves from infections by:

• Practicing good hygiene (e.g., keeping their hands clean by washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rubs, and showering after games and practices);
• Covering any open skin areas such as abrasions or cuts with clean dry bandages; avoiding sharing personal items such as towels or razors;
• Using barriers (e.g., clothing or towels) between skin and shared equipment; and
• Wiping surfaces of equipment before and after use.

For more information about this infection, please visit the Cuyahoga County Board of Health website at: www.ccbh.net or visit the Ohio Department of Health website at: www.odh.ohio.gov. If you have any questions, please contact your doctor or the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216-201-2080.

Sincerely,

Deacon John Gregory

Principal

Click here for the Ohio Department of Health information sheet entitled "How to Protect Yourself
From Avian (Bird) Flu" that was distributed in Family Mail on November 21, 2006.

Food allergies affect over 3 million American children and can be life threatening.  The risk of accidental exposure to foods can be reduced in the school setting if schools work with students, parents, and physicians to minimize risks and provide a safe educational environment for food-allergic students.

Normally, parents are notified if there is a food-allergic student in their child's class.  We are providing the following links to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network for reference.

Food Allergy Basics

http://www.foodallergy.org/downloads/FoodAllergyBasics.pdf

Be a PAL!  Protect A Life from Food Allergies

http://www.foodallergy.org/school/PALBrochure.pdf

Common Food Allergens

http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html

The Academy also requests the following of its students:

• Don't share your food with friends who have food allergies.
• Wash hands after eating.
• Ask what your friends are allergic to and help them avoid it.
• If a student who has allergies becomes ill, get help immediately.