Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School  

~ ~ Nurse's Notes ~ ~
 
 

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to school!  The summer just flew by.   In order for the year to proceed smoothly here are a few tips from the nurse’s office.

 

     If your child needs a routine medication, a new doctor’s authorization form needs to be completed for this school year.  I have the forms in my office.  The school fax number is 722-8786, if you want to call your doctor and have them fax the permission.
 

     All students with bee sting or nut allergies must have an epi-pen kept in my office for emergencies.  Call me ASAP, 695-5415 if your child has a life-threatening allergy.
 

    7th graders who have not had their 6th grade physical and vaccines are out of compliance with the state law.  I will need those update blue forms ASAP.

 

     I recommend all preschool and kindergarten children keep a change of clothes in their back packs or cubbies for emergencies.  Although your child might not have accidents at home anymore, it’s not unusual for it to occur in school.  If it does, it’s reassuring to them to have their own clothes to change into.
 

    A child must stay home from school when running a fever. Although giving Tylenol will reduce the fever, it does not cure it.  The child is contagious to other children and therefore must stay home.  A sick child also should be home to rest so that the illness doesn’t get worse.
 

     If your child is going to be out sick, please make sure you let the teacher know.  A written note sent in with your child is the best way to document an illness. See my note below regarding tips to know when to keep your child home from school.
 

     Feel free to call me with any health questions at anytime during the school year.  I try to keep pertinent health information updated on the website each month so check back every month!  I will also post health info on my office door, which by the way is always open to you.
 

Have a great school year!! 

Tracy Gale, RN
695-5415
 
 
when to keep your child home from school
 

Here are a few suggestions to help guide you when you try to decide whether you should keep your child home from school.
 

1)   Any fever over 100. Although Tylenol will bring down the fever, the child is still sick and contagious. A feverish child should stay home until the fever is gone for 24 hours without the use of any medication.
 

2)   Vomiting. If your child vomits in the morning, please do not send him/her to school. If vomiting occurs the night before and the child hasn’t been able to eat, he/she needs to stay home.
 

3)   Persistent cough. Your doctor should check any non-stop cough.  If the cough is accompanied by wheezing, your child could have asthma and this must be seen by a doctor.  If the cough is not allowing your child to sleep at night, he/she will not be able to function during the school day and needs to stay home.
 

4)   Pink Eye.  If your child wakes up with a very red eye that isn’t itchy and it has a discharge, it is likely he or she has conjunctivitis.  You should call your doctor and keep the child home until treatment has begun.

 

5)   Strep Throat.  If your child has a fever AND a sore throat, you should suspect strep throat.  Most cases of strep are accompanied by swollen glands in the neck and white patches inside the throat.  This MUST be treated by antibiotics, call your doctor right away.  A child should be on the antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
 

6)   Head lice.  If you know that your child has lice, please keep them home and treat the lice as directed on the bottle of lice shampoo/rinse.  Call me and let me know and I will check the whole class so we stop the spread.
 

7)   Rashes.  Most rashes are not a problem but please bring your child to my office to have the rash checked before you bring them into the classroom.  That way we can decide together if it is a rash that needs to be checked by your pediatrician.
 

If you ever wonder if your child should be in school, please always feel free to stop by my office in the morning or call me and I will help you decide.  As a working mom, I know it’s difficult to miss a day of work, but a sick child needs to be at home.  The child also needs to stay at home to stop the spread of the germ causing the illness.