Paula Gatherum RN BS
Click on link below to read Safety Newsletters
http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/special-operations/pub_ed/index.htm
Winter 2016
If a student is in school he/she is expected to be able to participate in outdoor activities and to go outdoors for recess. If there is a medical reason that a student should remain inside, we will require a note from the doctor describing the diagnosis, specific limitations and the length of time these limitations are in effect.
Please make sure that your student comes dressed appropriately to play outside.
Click here for more Norovirus information
Click on the link below for:
Click on the link below for toy safety from the Neighborhood Safety Network
http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/122476/281.pdf
Click on the link below for Holiday Cooking Safety Information
from the
Neighborhood Safety Network
Keeping Children Home From School
One of the most common dilemmas is knowing when to keep children home fro school. Sick children should not be in school for their own well being as well as for the well being of staff and other students. Please keep your child home when they are sick and contagious to others.
Often the first sign of illness in a child is a change in behavior such as irritability or tiredness. When your child shows signs of not feeling well it is best to keep them home from school so you and your health care provider can further evaluate his or her condition. If your child has any of the following symptoms in the morning, he or she should be kept home from school:
- Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea/stomach ache
- Headache/earache/sore throat/sneezing/congestion/ persistent cough
- Red, watery eyes or drainage from eyes
- Not feeling well enough to participate in school activities/fussiness
- Fever - temperature should be normal at least 24 hours before returning to school without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
Call School When Your Child Will Be Absent
We ask parents to call the school every time your child is going to be absent. If you call after school hours you can leave a message on the school's voicemail. If your child will be out sick, please let us know what symptoms your child is having.
Remember: If your child has been sick they may not return to school until they have no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication like Children's Tylenol, Motrin or Ibuprofen.
When a child becomes ill at school, a parent or emergency contact the parent has designated, is responsible for picking up the child as soon as possible. We know that for working parents, taking time off from work may be difficult, but we are concerned for the well being of your child. Please notify the school office in writing if there are any changes in your telephone numbers on your child's emergency information sheet.
Hand washing, hand washing, hand washing if the best way to prevent the spread of all illness. Please teach your child to cough into their elbow or a tissue, to wash their hands frequently and to avoid rubbing their eyes, noses or putting their fingers in their mouths to also prevent the spread of germs.
Medications at School
See below for important information about bringing prescription and over-the-counter medications to school. These requirements must be met before I can administer any medications to your child at school.
- If your child requires a prescription medication at school, the nurse needs a
- signed doctor's order
- written parent permission
- the medication must be in the original prescription container. All three requirements must be met before the nurse can give a prescription medicine to your child at school. The medication also needs to be brought to school by an adult.
- If your child needs over-the-counter medication such as cough drops or pain relievers such as Children's Tylenol; or Children's Motrin, Advil or Ibuprofen, you need
- to send a note to school stating why they need the medication, when they had the medication last and when they can have it at school
- The medication needs to be brought to school in its original container by an adult.
Breakfast is Important
Studies show that students who eat breakfast each day are able to learn better. Food fuels our bodies and allows us to perform at our best. If you do not have time to provide breakfast at home, a nutritious variety of breakfast foods is available for students to buy at school. Just send in money which will be credited to their food account and they can purchase breakfast at school. If you have any questions please call the school @ 783-4400 and ask for Samantha French who is our Food Service Leader.
Community Health Resources
The Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association offers a free walk-in clinic staffed by a Nurse Practitioner every Monday & Wednesday from 11:am-1:00pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Outreach Center, 21 Centre Street, Concord, NH. This free clinic is for individuals and families who do not have access to health care or do not have medical insurance.
Walk-In Immunization Clinics are also offered at the same location on the 1st Monday of every month from 1:00pm-3:00pm and the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 2:30pm-4:30pm. The cost is $5.00 per child and the adult immunization costs vary. Parent would need to bring a copy of any immunizations their child has already received.
Poison Control Number - 1-800-222-1222 - Call this number for any poisoning questions or concerns. The use of Ipecac Syrup is no longer recommended for children who may have swallowed a poison, call the Poison Control number for advice on treating your child. Home remedies such as giving saltwater or sticking a finger down the throat to cause vomiting can be dangerous. Always call the number above for advice.
Simple Ways to Improve Your Health:
- Drink water instead of sugar sweetened soft drinks & juices.
- Eat fruit & vegetables at every meal or snack
- Add some activity to your day- a few 10 minute walks each day will add to your health.
- Make meal sizes smaller; don't cut out your favorite foods, instead cut down on the portion sizes.
- Cut down on high calorie, low nutrient foods such as fried foods, processed bakery cakes & cookies or salty potato chips.
Children's Need for Sleep
- Children ages 6-11 require at least nine hours of sleep each night.
- Establish a regular time for bed and stick to it.
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine such as a warm bath or reading a story before putting your child to bed.
- After dinner playtime should be relaxing; too much activity close to bedtime can deep children awake.
- Avoid feeding children big meals close to bedtime.
- Avoid giving children anything with caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. This includes Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and some orange sodas.
- Set bedroom temperature so it is comfortable, not too warm, not too cold.
- Make sure bedroom is dark but you may use a small nightlight.
- Keep noise level low.
- Do not have a television in your child's bedroom,; use the bedroom mainly for sleeping!
Turn Off the TV
Families often want to reduce the amount of TV their children watch, but are note sure how to do this. To reduce TV time try these tips:
- An easy first step is to turn off the TV during meals. This helps families talk with each other about how their day was and to connect after a busy day.
- Leave a piece of paper near the TV for everyone to write down when they watch TV. At the end of a week total up the hours of each person's TV time. You may be surprised by how much TV everyone is watching.
- Set an easy goal that everyone can reach. For example, reduce TV for a half hour per day or only watch shows that you really enjoy. Then use that time to have your children play outside or do something as a family
- For more information go to www.tvturnoff.org
All Students are Required to Wear Sneakers for Gym Class
All students need to wear sneakers when participating in gym class. Please make sure your child either wears sneakers, or has sneakers in their backpack to wear for gym class. Check with your child as to which day they have gym class. It will either be Monday, Thursday or Friday.
Informational Websites for Parents
Neighborhood Safety Network - Important Safety Issues for parents.
www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/Multimedia/?vid=66381
Excellent websites for more health information.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/evd68/
http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/dphs/cdcs/documents/enterovirus-parent-info.pdf
Fire Safety
http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/special-operations/pub_ed/home-safety.html
Bike Safety
http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2014/05/bike-safety-know-it-all-maybe-not/