Nurse's Website

Carol McCall cmccall@tcs.sau48.org

Liz Mills lmills@tcs.sau48.org

(603) 726-8904

Winter 2009

Swine Flu/Flu Information:

If your child has a fever over 100 degrees fahrenheit, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue and possibly vomiting or diarrhea, please keep him/her home from school until 24 hours after the fever is gone without using fever-reducing drugs such as Tylenol, Acetaminophen, Advil, Motrin or Ibuprofen. Most people are infectious for 5-7 days. Please notify the school nurse if your child has been diagnosed with seasonal flu or the H1N1 virus so that we can track any outbreaks in the Thornton area. We are required to report outbreaks of illnesses to the state department of health and human services, even seasonal flu, so please call your child out absent and give the reason for the illness. If you do not fell comfortable sharing this information with our receptionists, please request to speak with the nurse. If we do not answer the phone we may be with a sick or injured child. Please leave a message on our voicemai,l including your phone number if you want us to call you back, and we will do so as soon as we can. You can reach us at 726-8904.

The current list of people who should call their physicians if experiencing the above flu symptoms include: children under 5 years of age (especially if younger than age 2) and adults over 65 years. Any child receiving long term aspirin therapy, pregnant women, residents of nursing homes, anyone who is immunosuppressed due to treatments for diseases such as cancer or HIV, and adults or children who have diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular disease (except high blood pressure), renal, hepatic, or hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular or metabolic disorgers including diabetes mellitus.

People are contagious from one day before symptoms to up to 5 days after illness starts. If your child sees the doctor for high fever, muscle aches, headache and cough and has a positive flu nasal swab, please call the nurse at school so we can track how many cases are at Thornton Central School. Please keep your child home for at least 5 days. Also, please get a doctor’s excuse for school and send it in. There are antiviral drugs available if the diagnosis is made early. It is not too late to have your child get a flu shot. Cal his/her physician if you are interested.

Remember, the best way to prevent any contagious disease spread is good hygiene. Tell you children to wash hands for 20 seconds before eating, after coughing or sneezing or after touching any infected skin wounds (red, painful or draining pus). Please cover any open wounds with a bandiad or dressing. Cough into elbows or tissues, not hands! Encourage your child to avoid people who are coughing or sneezing.

It is not too early to have your child get a flu shot. Call his/her physician if you are interested. Speare Memorial Hospital has a list of flu clinics in our area. Please call them at 536-1120. Local physician's offices include: Plymouth Pediatrics 536-3700, Midstate Health Center 536-4000 and Plymouth Family Practice 536-2502.

Medications

Please do not send pills to school in baggies. The school nurse can only give medications which arrive in a labeled bottle (prescriptions or over the counter medications). Our medication policy is on page 29 of the Thornton Central School 2008-2009 Handbook. Also, please bring in medications to the nurse so you can sign the appropriate form giving them permission to medicate your child. Children should not be carrying medications in school unless it is an inhaler or Epi Pen, and you have given permission for this to happen.

Sports Physicals

Sports physicals for 5th and 8th graders must be on file with the school nurse for your child to play on a school team. Our policy is to have one done between 5th and 8th grade, unless there is an injury in that time frame. Please call the school nurses if you have any questions about this policy. The school nurses are happy to check and see if they have a sports physical on file for your child. Plymouth pediatrics will be here in the spring to do grade 8 sports physicals for students who will be attending Plymouth Regional High School next year and want to play fall sports.

Most physicians are now encouraging parents to limit the amount of time your child spends in front of the tv, computer or game screens to 2 hours a day. Also, physicians are encouraging healthy eating: 5-9 fruits and veggies per day, less sugary snacks, fatty foods and less fast foods. We are strongly encouraging parents to send in healthy snacks.

Classroom Parties

During classroom parties, we are strongly encouraging parents to send in healthy snacks and treats. Please speak with your child’s teacher before any parties. Some good websites relating to healthy snack are:

www.fns.usda.gov www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/student/nutritioned/#healthy_celbrationsBW.pdf www.mom-rd.com www.pyramid.gov

New Hampshire Healthy Kids

If you are interested in health insurance for your child or children, please check out the following website: www.healthykids.com You can download an application form at the above website. Please call the school nurses if your children are currently uninsured and you need help filling out the necessary forms for NH Healthy Kids. Stacy Lembo works in the billing department at Speare Memorial Hospital, and is trained to help you with NH Healthy Kids. Please call her at 238-6471, and she will be happy to help you!

Lice Information

Our school head lice policy changed last December, and our ‘no nit’ policy is no longer in effect. Pediatricians and the CDC do not recommend the ‘no nit’ policy, as lice does not spread disease. It is mainly a nuisance. They are spread by direct head to head contact, or frequently at sleepovers where pillows or personal hair care items are shared. The school nurses advise that you check your child’s head frequently, and especially if you notice he/she is itching a lot. A very good website with lots of information is the CDC site. www.cdc.gov/lice/head/factsheet.html Be aware that anyone can get head lice. They are not a sign of poor hygiene! Please call us if you would like us to check your child’s head, or if there has been exposure to someone with head lice. Lice products should not be overused! You should not treat your child unless lice or nits are found! Call us if you have any questions about head lice or home clean up after exposure to someone with lice.

Immunization Information

Changes in the NH State Immunization Law effective 2009-2010 School Year Be aware that next school year a child who is 11 years of age or older must receive a one-time dose of Tdap Vaccine (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Acellular Pertussis). If it has been five years or longer since the last documented dose of a Tetanus Immunization (medical contraindication to Pertussis allows a Tetanus and Diphtheria only Vaccine). Kindergarteners who have had Chicken Pox will be required to show documentation of immunity by a confirming lab test. Histories of diseases are reported by a healthcare provider or parent, and are acceptable for first grade through twelfth grade. It should be documented in the student’s health record.

Please call your child’s healthcare provider if you have a child enrolling in elementary school or sixth grade, or if your child is turning 11 prior to the beginning of the 2009 school year to make sure your child is up to date. If you need to take your child in for required shots, please get an updated immunization record for the school nurse and bring it in, or have the physician fax it to the school nurse at Thornton Central School at 726-3801.

There are new Tetanus Booster Immunizations which contain Pertussis, now available for 10-18 year old children. State Law requires that your child have a Tetanus Booster if it has been 10 years since their last Tetanus shot (usually given at the 5 year physical exam). Please get an updated copy of your child’s immunization record for the school nurse, if she/he receives any vaccines. Call the nurses if you have any questions about your child’s immunizations, and what may be due and when. The school nurses would be happy to give you the NH State Immunization Requirements for 2009-2010. Local pediatricians are recommending the Guardicil Immunization (in a series of 3 shots for adolescent girls). State Law requires that all students have either a Varicella (Chicken Pox) shot or history of having the Chicken Pox prior to 6th grade.

Medical Websites

Midstate Health www.midstatehealth.org

Plymouth Pediatrics www.ppam.yourmd.com

Healthy Websites

www.fns.usa.gov

www.mypyramid.gov