School Nurses

Your help is needed in order to limit the spread of illnesses as we move into the traditionally cooler season!

Ways we can reduce or slow the spread of infections include:

• get the appropriate vaccines
• wash your hands frequently
• stay home if you are sick (so you do not spread it to other people)
• cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing (or cough into your elbow)
• use single-use tissues for wiping your nose
• wash your hands after coughing, sneezing or using tissues
• do not share cups, glasses, dishes or cutlery.
• do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth (viruses can transfer from your hands and into the body)

Students need to be fever-free without the use of Tylenol or Advil to lower temperature (below 100) before returning to school; in addition no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours.

Upon having the following illnesses, a child must have written consent from either a physician or the AR Health Department to return to school or be subject to school office approval for re-admittance:

1. Chicken Pox

2. Measles

3. Mumps

4. Pneumonia

5. Whooping Cough

6. Pinworms

7. Scabies

8. Ringworm

9. Impetigo

10. Pink Eye

11. Fifths Disease

12. Shingles

If a student has a fever (100 or above), vomits, or several episodes of diarrhea then he/she should not be at school.

If a student becomes ill at school, the nurse will determine the appropriate responses, including rest in nurse’s office or a call to parents to pick the child up. If this is necessary, we ask that parents get their child as soon as possible.

Students need to be fever-free without the use of Tylenol or Advil to lower temperature (below 100) before returning to school; in addition no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hour.

The parents/guardians of students found to have head lice or eggs (nits) will be asked to pick up their child at school. They will be given information concerning the eradication and control of head lice.

Before students may be readmitted following an absence due to head lice, the school nurse of designee shall examine the student to make sure that they are FREE OF BOTH LICE AND NITS. Screenings may be conducted as needed at any time.

The following are steps that can be taken to help prevent and control the spread of head lice:

• Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, and camp).
• Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
• Do not share combs, brushes, or towels. Disinfest combs and brushes used by an infested person by soaking them in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5-10 minutes.
• Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an infested person.
• Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items that an infested person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment using the hot water (130°F) laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks.
• Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay. However, spending much time and money on housecleaning activities are not necessary to avoid reinfestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing.
• Do not use fumigant sprays or fogs; they are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a contagious, bacterial infection involving the respiratory tract. It is spread by direct contact with discharges from the nose and throat of infected individuals.

Symptoms of pertussis begin as a mild respiratory infection but within 2 weeks the cough becomes frequent and severe. A person can spread pertussis from 7 days after exposure to 3 weeks after the onset of coughing episodes. Once antibiotics are started the infected person can be contagious for 5 days.