SJF HEALTH ROOM

Mandy Konig, RN

410-255-4750 ext. 1113

Mission Statement

St. Jane Frances School is a faith-centered, Catholic community which fosters the
intellectual, spiritual, moral, cultural, and social development of its students.

Parents-

Please call the school by 9 a.m. to let us know your child is going to be late or absent from school. If your child is not called in, the nurse will call home.

Thank you for your cooperation.

How do I know when to keep my child home from school because of an illness?

Parents should keep their child home from school because of a serious illness, injury or a condition that can be passed on to other children. Although no comprehensive list is possible, the following conditions may be considered appropriate reasons to keep a student home from school:

Examples of serious illness or injury

• Vomiting

• Temperature 100* or greater

• Abdominal pain

• Earache

• Head injury

• Adverse medication effect

• Suspected fracture

• Chest pain

• Severe pain

• Severe shortness of breath or wheezing

Examples of possibly communicable conditions

• Vomiting

• Loose runny stools/diarrhea

• Suspected communicable disease

• Nuisance condition not currently being treated; e.g., ringworm, scabies, head lice

• Red, draining eyes

• Persistent runny nose with yellow/green discharge, accompanied by fever

• Productive cough, accompanied by fever

• Undiagnosed rash

Parents should consult with their doctor for advice and/or treatment of the conditions or symptoms listed here.

Chapped Lips & Cough Drops

Now that winter is upon us, students are allowed to have both Chapstick and cough drops, if needed, during school. Chapstick or similar brand (not lip gloss/lipstick) can be kept in the pencil case. For the cough drops, a parent note is required for each student. For grades on first floor (PK-3^rd) teachers will keep the cough drops and give them to the student as needed. For grades on second floor (4^th-8^th), students will keep the cough drops with their belongings and use as needed. Sharing of cough drops is not permitted so please explain this to your child. Anyone caught sharing their cough drops will have the cough drops taken away and parents will be called.

Do You Smell That?

Spray deodorants and perfumes are not permitted in school. The use aerosol sprays can cause children with asthma to have difficulty breathing. If your child is experiencing body odor after recess or PE class, he or she may bring in a stick or roll-on deodorant/anti-perspirant to use. The deodorant may be kept in the backpack. Students caught using the aerosol sprays during school will have the item taken and parents will be called.

Immunization Information

An up to date immunization record is required for all students. For school year 2006-07, Hepatitis B and Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccine are required for all students, 3-year-old Pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Physician documentation of the chicken pox disease (month and year) in lieu of the vaccine is permitted. This is a regulation from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7 or Prevnar) is required for both 3 and 4 year old Pre-kindergarten students.

Please click here to download an Immunization Certification Form (DHMH 896).

The minimum vaccine requirements are available at www.edcp.org (click on "Immunization").

Health Inventory

The Archdiocese of Baltimore requires each student to have a physical upon entering the school. It must be dated within 9 months of the start of school. Blank forms can be obtained from the nurse or school office. It is recommended to have a new physical form completed if your child's health status should change. For questions regarding the physicals, please contact the nurse.

Medications in School

All medications, including Tylenol and Motrin, administered in school MUST have a Medication Administration form completed by the physician and the parents. This includes both prescription medications and over the counter medications. Prescription medication must come in with the label from the pharmacy. Please click on the link below to print your copy of the required form or you may get one from the nurse or school office.

To download the proper form, click here.

Students are not permitted to self-administer any medications while in school. Students caught with any medications will be sent to the office.

Facts about Head Lice

Head Lice (pediculosis) is a widespread nuisance condition that is prevalent in school age children. An average of 1,300 cases of head lice are found among Anne Arundel County students each year. Children can pick-up head lice anywhere: at home, at camp, at school, on the playground; anywhere children freely interact. Lice are spread directly by close personal contact, such as touching heads, or indirectly through contact with an item worn or used by someone with head lice such as combs, brushes and hats and scarves. Head lice can also spread by using the same bedding and pillows or head rests on fabric chairs, sofas and car seats as someone with head lice.

Facts About Head Lice and Nits:

- Head lice are blood-sucking, six-legged insects that live on the human scalp and hair.

- Nits are the tiny, grayish white eggs of the lice and are a sign of head lice. Nits attach to the hair close to the scalp and will not brush out like dandruff.

- Lice that have fallen or been brushed off their human host will die in 48 to 55 hours.

- Female lice lay 4 to 6 eggs per day or 100 to 150 eggs over the life of the louse.

- Lice will die when exposed to extremes in temperatures.

- Head lice do not jump, fly or live on pets but they do crawl and move quickly.

How To Treat Head Lice and Nits:

It is important that all those with lice, close contacts and household and personal items be treated at the same time.

- Check all members of the household and close contacts for head lice and nits. Very close contacts such as those sharing the same bed should be treated

even if no lice or nits are found . Call your doctor if you need to treat a child under the age of two.

- Over-the-counter as well as prescription shampoo treatments can be effective. You may wish to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about which is best for your family.

These shampoos will kill the lice but may not kill all of the nits. You may need to treat again in 7 to 10 days.

PEOPLE ALLERGIC TO RAGWEED SHOULD AVOID NIX BRAND TREATMENT.

- Remove and wash all clothing right away. The medication should be applied while the person is in the bath or shower. Closely follow the directions on the medication. After treatment, dry with a clean

towel and put on clean clothing. If you are shampooing several people, rubber gloves should be worn.

Getting rid of the nits is the hardest part of the treatment:

- Use a fine toothed, metal comb.

- A hot hair dryer or, if there are no scratches on the scalp, warm white vinegar combed through the hair will help loosen the nits.

- Pick the nits off the hair shaft with fingers or tweezers.

Clean all household items that may harbor lice and nits:

- Combs and brushes can be washed with the shampoo, soaked in a 2% Lysol solution for one hour or washed with hot (125 degree) soapy water for 5 to 10 minutes.

- Stuffed toys or other non-washable items may either be dry-cleaned or placed in tightly sealed plastic bags in a cool place (below 70 degrees) for 10 days.

- Towels, bed linens, pillows and clothing should be washed in hot soapy water and dried in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Ironing with a hot iron will also destroy nits.

- Vacuum rugs, car seats, chairs, sofas and beds, then throw away the vacuum bag.

How To Prevent Getting Head Lice Again (or how to keep lice from getting ahead)

- It may be necessary to repeat treatment in one week. Call your doctor, if after two tries treatment isn't successful.

- Call the parents of your child's closest friends, your child's school and those in charge of activities that may involve direct contact such as dancing classes or sports.

Others may need to be treated to eliminate head lice and nits.

- TELL YOUR CHILDREN NOT TO SHARE CAPS, COMBS, BRUSHES AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS WITH THEIR FRIENDS.

How To Get Your Child Back To School:

- Your child MUST be free of lice and nits.

- Your child must be checked by school health staff before returning to school.