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Nurse's Office

 

THE NURSE'S CORNER

The school year is off to a great start & I’m excited to be at Bon Meade Elementary taking care of your children. If your child is in need of medication during the school day, please take note of our medication policy which is listed on our website. If it is absolutely necessary for your child to receive medication during the school day, these instructions must be followed:

1. A written order from the attending physician on letterhead must be presented with complete instructions for administering the medicine, including any pertinent information about the child’s health. This is mandatory for all medications including over-the-counter items such as Tylenol and cough drops.

2. A written parental consent must accompany the medication and include the health problem which necessitates the medication.

3. The original medicine container MUST be properly labeled with the following information: Child’s name, name of medication, dosage of medication, time medication is to be administered

4. For those students on a medication regimen year after year, a new physician’s order and parental consent is mandatory at the beginning of each school year.

5. Medications MUST be brought to school by a parent and given to the school nurse, nurse assistant, health assistant, or secretary.

If the above procedure is not followed, medication will not be administered in school.

Also be aware of MASD medication policy which states. "For purposes of this policy, medication shall include all medicines prescribed by a licensed prescriber and any over-the-counter medicines." All medications must have a medication administration form signed by the parent/guardian and prescriber and be dropped off by a parent/guardian (or another adult designee) in the original packaging. All medications must be kept in the nurse's office. This includes cough drops, sunscreen, etc.

Please make sure your children aren't bringing in any medications from home and keeping them in their backpacks or desks. Please take time to review the policy on our website and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Thank you,

 

Lucia Hrabovsky RN, BSN, CSN

Bon Mead Elementary School Nurse                               

412-264-9440 ext. 5701            

                   

             

BON MEADE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES

 

Dear Parents/Guardians of Bon Meade Elementary Students:

Each and every school year, we have to address communicable diseases and conditions in school. It is our goal to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all students at Bon Meade. However there are many “community acquire” conditions that children are exposed to in their everyday life. When a child contracts something that is communicable, it is very helpful to notify the School Nurse.

For example, Pertussis or Whopping Cough has not been totally eradicated, and Chicken Pox occasionally arises as a breakthrough case in some communities, even though most students are immunized for these diseases. Some students in the district have conditions that could be seriously compromised by exposure to these diseases. Another example would be lice. Children sharing hats or brushes and playing in close contact can spread it unknowingly. That is why it is important to keep the lines of communication open with your School Nurse. It is our responsibility to reinforce health practices within the school to keep all communicable conditions to a minimum. Your voluntary information is kept confidential, and documented in a confidential health record.

Examples of items that should be communicated to the School Nurse include:

Chicken Pox

Conjunctivitis

Lice

Meningitis

MRSA

Pertussis

Scabies

Strep Throat

This list is not all-inclusive, but just some examples. While we cannot require you to report these to the School Nurse, we would greatly appreciate your cooperation and help.

Feel free to contact me with any questions,

 

Lucia Hrabovksy

Bon Meade Elementary School Nurse

 

 

FIFTH DISEASE

WHAT IS FIFTH DISEASE?

Fifth disease is a viral disease that often results in a red rash on the arms, legs, and cheeks. For this reason, it’s also known as “slapped cheek disease.” It’s fairly common and mild in most children, but it can be more severe for pregnant women or anyone with a compromised immune system.

Most doctors advise people with fifth disease to wait out the symptoms. This is because there’s currently no medication that’ll shorten the course of the disease.

WHAT CAUSES FIFTH DISEASE?

Fifth Disease is caused by Parvovirus B19. This airborne virus tends to spread through saliva and respiratory secretions among children who are in elementary school. It’s most prevalent in the winter, spring, and early summer. However, it can spread at any time and among people of any age.

For children with healthy immune systems, fifth disease is a common, mild illness that rarely presents lasting consequences.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FIFTH DISEASE?

According to American Academy of Family Physicians, symptoms tend to appear 4 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. After a few days of having these symptoms, most young people develop a red rash that first appears on the cheeks. The rash often spreads to the arms, legs, and trunk of the body within a few days. The rash may last for weeks. However, by the time you see it, you’re usually no longer contagious.

HOW IS FIFTH DISEASE DIAGNOSED?

Doctors can often make the diagnosis by simply looking at your rash.

HOW IF FIFTH DISEASE TREATED?

For most healthy people, no treatment is necessary. If your joints hurt or you have a headache or fever, you may be advised to take acetaminophen (Tylenol) as needed to relieve these symptoms. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait for your body to fight off the virus. This usually takes one to three weeks.

You can help the process along by drinking a lot of fluids and getting extra rest. Children can often return to school once the red rash appears since they’re no longer contagious.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s Pediatrician.

 

 

LYME DISEASE…DID YOU KNOW?

 

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States.  In Allegheny County, there were an estimated 1,323 reported cases of Lyme disease in 2018. Children aged 5-14 years are at high risk.

 

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black legged ticks. The first symptom is usually a “bull’s eye” rash that may appear 3-to-30 days after a tick bite. Approximately 70-80% of infected persons will develop this type of rash. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, joint or muscle aches and fatigue. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics if it is identified early. If not treated early, complications such as chronic joint pain, headaches or other neurologic symptoms may develop.

 

Although ticks are most active in warmer months (April through October), they can emerge year-round. ACHD recommends that people take steps to reduce their chances of being bitten by ticks. Steps include using repellent with DEET  or permethrin according to the instructions given on the product label. The CDC recommends using repellent with DEET, picaridin as well as oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 (these latter 2 are considered “bio-pesticides”) against mosquitoes and DEET against ticks.  Also checking one’s clothing and body for ticks after being outdoors.  

 

Please take precaution and be aware of what’s outdoors while enjoying the fall weather.

 

 

 

What is the difference between a cold and the flu?

 

Yearly Screenings

Each year your child will receive the following screenings:

Height, Weight, & BMI - This is state mandated. Results are mailed to parents each school year.

Vision - All students have a vision screening each year.  All first grade students have their screening performed by the School Eye Doctor.  This is only a screening and does not take the place of a complete eye exam.

Hearing  -  Screenings are performed each year on students in Grades K-3 and again in grades 7 and 11.  This is only a screening and should not take the place of a complete hearing exam.

Useful Links 

 

Click here for District Nurse/Health Information, including health forms and health resource links.