Why School Health?
"You can't educate a child who isn't healthy, and you can't keep children healthy who aren't educated." Jocelyn Elders
Health and learning go hand-in-hand. Learning in school starts with being healthy. Children learn best when they are attentive, energetic, happy and well. The School Nurse helps identify special health needs and provides services for children with health problems that affect their academic functioning.
Health and learning go hand-in-hand. Learning in school starts with being healthy. Children learn best when they are attentive, energetic, happy and well. The School Nurse helps identify special health needs and provides services for children with health problems that affect their academic functioning.
School Exclusion Policy
Germs and illnesses, no matter how hard we try, seem to be prevalent in elementary schools. As a result of the age of our student body, their hand washing techniques and their ability or lack of ability to blow their noses and cover their mouths while sneezing or coughing, germs spread easily and rapidly. Therefore to help prevent the spread of germs we would like to remind you of the following guidelines. If your child has any of the following symptoms he or she must remain at home until symptom free for 24 hours.
PERSISTENT COUGH
FEVER OF 100 OR HIGHER
DIARRHEA
DIFFICULTY BREATHING
VOMITING
UNUSUAL RASH
EXTREME PAIN
STREP THROAT
PINK EYE
This will help protect your child from exposure to more infection before he/she is able to build resistance. It will also protect the other children and school staff from any communicable diseases that your child may transmit.
Remember: Hand Washing is the most effective means of preventing the spread of communicable diseases!
PERSISTENT COUGH
FEVER OF 100 OR HIGHER
DIARRHEA
DIFFICULTY BREATHING
VOMITING
UNUSUAL RASH
EXTREME PAIN
STREP THROAT
PINK EYE
This will help protect your child from exposure to more infection before he/she is able to build resistance. It will also protect the other children and school staff from any communicable diseases that your child may transmit.
Remember: Hand Washing is the most effective means of preventing the spread of communicable diseases!
Sick
"I cannot go to school today." Said little Peggy Ann McKay. "I have the Measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash, and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, I'm going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks, I've counted sixteen chicken pox.
And there's one more-that's seventeen, And don't you think my face looks green? My leg is cut, my eyes are blue- It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, I'm sure that my left leg is broke- My hip hurts when I move my chin, My belly button's caving in.
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained, My 'pendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold, my toes are numb, I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my spine is weak, I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth, I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight, My temperature is one-o-eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my head is-what? What's that? What's that you say? You say today is . . . Saturday? G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
And there's one more-that's seventeen, And don't you think my face looks green? My leg is cut, my eyes are blue- It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, I'm sure that my left leg is broke- My hip hurts when I move my chin, My belly button's caving in.
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained, My 'pendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold, my toes are numb, I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my spine is weak, I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth, I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight, My temperature is one-o-eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my head is-what? What's that? What's that you say? You say today is . . . Saturday? G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
Pain in the Back?
There have been many concerns regarding the weight of backpacks. The Johns Hopkins Health Insider reports the typical elementary school student carries between 10-20 pounds in his or her backpack daily. Most children can carry this weight without any problem, but one in ten students complain of back pain. Usually the pain is for a very short duration. However, if a child is complaining of back pain that causes him/her to curtail activities or ask for pain medication, the cause may be due to the child's backpack.
Many children are not wearing backpacks properly. The pack should be worn as close to the body as possible. Most of the weight should rest in the lumbar region of the spine. It should not land near the buttocks. The child should never carry a backpack over one shoulder, but should use both shoulder straps. The weight should be distributed as evenly as possible in the pack to ensure a balanced load. Furthermore, according to the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a backpack should weigh no more than 15% of the child's weight.
Many children are not wearing backpacks properly. The pack should be worn as close to the body as possible. Most of the weight should rest in the lumbar region of the spine. It should not land near the buttocks. The child should never carry a backpack over one shoulder, but should use both shoulder straps. The weight should be distributed as evenly as possible in the pack to ensure a balanced load. Furthermore, according to the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a backpack should weigh no more than 15% of the child's weight.
Child's Weight in pounds
80
100 120 140 170 |
Backpack Weight in pounds
12
15 18 21 25 1/2 |