Nurse's+News

= Nursing Staff: = = Mrs. Juanita Collins, School Nurse = = = = Health News: =

Back to School is a great time to establish or reinforce healthy habits that can improve academic performance and decrease illness and injury. Some suggestions for your daily routine:
 * 1) Encourage your child to eat balanced meals including breakfast and lunch. Reinforce healthy choices including fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, whole grains, and lean meats.
 * 2) Washing hands often can prevent illness by 50%! Children should wash their hands after using the bathroom, coming in from outside, sneezing, coughing, or handling a pet. Also, wash hands upon arrival home from school and before eating
 * 3) Look for ways to increase your child’s activity to meet the minimum recommendation of 60 minutes per day.
 * 4) Make safety a priority. That means ALWAYS wearing helmets when riding bicycles or scooters, and wearing a seat belt while in riding in the car. Reinforce pedestrian, water, and playground safety.
 * 5) School age children need 10-11 hours of sleep per day. Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it even on the weekend to improve overall sleep.

As your child returns to school a healthy routine can equal a great school year!

Physical activity guidelines for healthy children include 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity __ every __ day. Here are a few tips to encourage your child to stay active.
 * Set a positive example by leading an active lifestyle yourself.
 * Be positive about the physical activities in which your child participates and promote interest in new activities.
 * Take young people to places where they can be active, such as public parks, community baseball fields or basketball courts.
 * Help your child to find fun activities to do on their own or with friends and family, such as walking, playing chase or riding bikes instead of watching television.

Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of disease. Below are the four principles of hand awareness:


 * 1) Wash your hands when they are dirty (including after using the bathroom) and BEFORE eating
 * 2) DO NOT cough into your hands (use the inside of your elbow or a tissue).
 * 3) DO NOT sneeze into your hands.
 * 4) Above all, DO NOT put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth.

 As the winter cold and flu season approaches, use the following guidelines to determine if your child should stay home from school: • Temperature of 100°F or higher. The temperature should be normal for 24 hours before returning to school. • Vomiting or diarrhea, no episodes for 24 hours before returning to school. • Red, itching eyes with a discharge. • Anytime you feel your child feels so poorly that he or she will not have the stamina to participate in a full day of school. • If your child is diagnosed with a contagious disease such as pink eye or strep throat, the child should not return to school until 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic.  Also remember, a parent or guardian should call their child’s school by 9:00 am to report an absence. Anytime your child is absent, a parent or guardian note is required upon return to school for the absence to be excused. If your child is out 3 days or more consecutive days, a doctor’s note is required. Please refer to the student handbook for more information on health services and attendance. __ [] __

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the flu vaccine for almost everyone 6 months and older. The flu vaccine is available in both a shot and a nasal mist. Many physician offices hold “flu shot clinics” at times that better meet the needs of busy families, and most health insurances cover the cost of the flu vaccine because the cost is less than treating a person with complications of the flu.Although side effects of the vaccine may last for a day, the flu can knock you off your feet for 2 to 3 weeks and can cause complications such as pneumonia, ear infections, and sinus infections. A few groups of people should not receive the vaccine. Talk with your doctor or other health care provider to find out if a flu vaccine is right for you.