December Health Outlook

Viral season has begun to show itself in all its glory in District 66. The most often described complaint has been stomach ache/nausea, occasionally accompanied by a low grade temperature and headache. It is to the benefit of all our children to allow them time at home to recover fully from illness. When children return to full activity too soon, reinfection often follows. Our school district follows the guidelines set by the Dupage County Health Department which states, “students with a temperature of 100 F (37.7 C) or above, should be dismissed from school, and a student may be readmitted to the classroom if there has been no fever in the preceding 24 hours, i.e., without the use of fever-reducing medication.”

Therefore, in light of this and all the recent publicity about MRSA infections, a reminder that handwashing is of paramount importance seems in order. There is no replacement for frequent, thorough handwashing. Substituting hand sanitizers for handwashing can be appropriate, however, when soap and water are not readily available. Most hand sanitizers contain large amounts of ethanol and /or alcohol, which makes them so effective in eliminating germs from our hands.

Children are especially susceptible to the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, i.e., altered level of consciousness, slow respirations, cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin, and the presence of alcohol on the breath. Because hand sanitizers are often left where chidren can easily access them, it’s important to remember they are not packaged in child-proof containers. They are often scented and colored, which make them more appealing to young children.

Suggestions for keeping your child safe:

*Keep hand sanitizers out of sight and reach as you would prescription drugs.
*Always supervise children when using this product.
*Look for new alcohol-free hand sanitizers.
*Use soap and water when possible.
*Call the Illinois Poison Center 24-hour hotline 1-800-222-1222 if you suspect someone has ingested hand sanitizer.

November Health Beat

PREVENTION OF MRSA

Within the community MRSA is most often first detected as a skin infection. The most common factor associated with the spread of MRSA is close skin-to skin contact. Other factors include crowded living conditions, cuts or abrasions of the skin, contaminated items and surfaces and poor hygiene.

The 5 “C”s of Community Associated MRSA


CLEANLINESS:
Hand washing, bathing, laundering of clothing

COMPROMISED:
Skin integrity – Keep wound(s) clean and covered

CONTACT:
Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages

CONTAMINATION:
Avoid sharing personal items (water bottles, towels, etc.)
Clean and disinfect environment

CROWDING:
Avoid overcrowding; be aware of personal space

October Health Update - Head Lice

Health News Brief

Although head lice are an unpleasant matter to contemplate, they are a fact of life. Head lice are present in all public arenas. An excellent method of controlling their prevalence among our school community, is for each family to do a weekly head check of all family members, including parents. If a case is found within the home, please report this to the school. It is necessary to treat each case of head lice before returning to school. It is not recommended to treat unaffected family members, however. In addition to doing family head checks, it is advised that children be instructed not to share personal items, such as, combs, hairbrushes, or hair ornaments. Borrowing scarves, hats, or sports head gear should also be avoided.

Lice are spread by direct person-to-person contact. Lice do not jump or fly; they crawl and can fall off the head. Family pets can be a method of transport, however, do not become invested with lice themselves. It is reported that head lice can live up to 48 hours off the head, but only lay their eggs while on the head. Their eggs, or nits, only hatch if they remain on the head and the average incubation period is about 10 days.

Any time questions or concerns arise relating to the prevention or treatment of head lice, please call your child’s school and ask to speak with Jan Heckman.