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Tips on Staying Healthy The following simple common-sense precautions can help prevent the spread of all types of influenza and illnesses: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick. That may mean canceling social plans with others while you are sick. You can join your friends when you are well. Your friends will thank you for not spreading your illness to them. Stay home when you're sick or have flu symptoms. Get plenty of rest and check with a health care provider as needed. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve, not your hands. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you against germs. When soap and water is not available, use a hand sanitizer to clean your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs are spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his/her eyes, nose, or mouth. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious foods. |
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| Emergency/Crisis Flu Screening Tool Illnesses Immunizations Meds at School Wellness |
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| Contact | ||
| Westonka District Nurse, Lois Van Dyke 952.491.8104 |
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Announcements Stomach "Flu"Stomach flu (not influenza which is a respiratory illness) is going around in our schools. Students have stomach aches, vomiting, diarrhea, slight fevers, and fatigue. Students should stay home for at least 24 hours after the symptoms have stopped.
Stomach flu is spread easily from person to person so it is important to stay home while sick. It lasts anywhere from 1 to 2 days depending on the individual and the severity of the symptoms. If it lasts longer than that and you are concerned about your child's health, contact your health care provider. Prevent the stomach flu by washing your hands frequently as it is spread by touching contaminated items. Prevent dehydration by offering small amounts of liquids frequently. Offer nutritious bland foods when vomiting or diarrhea has stopped and slowly work up to regular foods. If you are concerned about dehydration, contact your health care provider. If your child has the stomach flu, call your school's attendance line to report this. Thank you. Head LiceAnyone can get head lice. Head lice are very small brownish-colored insects that live on the head. They lay their eggs (nits) close to the scalp. The eggs are gray or white in color. They are stuck to the hair like glue.
The symptoms of head lice are: 1. itching of the head and neck. 2. Look for: crawling lice in the hair. The eggs that are glued to the hair, often found behind the ears and at the back of the neck. Scratch marks from the itching they cause. Lice are spread by direct head to head contact with the hair of an infested person. They can't jump or fly. They crawl and can fall off the head. Head lice do not live longer than 48 hours off the head. Eggs do not hatch if they fall off the head. Head lice feet are specially adapted for holding onto human hair. They would have difficulty attaching to smooth or slippery surfaces like plastic, metal, and similar materials. If you find head lice in your child's hair, call your child's school and daycare to inform them. Treat your child for head lice using the product/method of your choice. Remove eggs (nits) daily. It takes at least 2 weeks to get rid of lice. If all nits within 1/2 inch of the scalp are not removed, some may hatch and your child will be infested again. Parents should check their children's hair weekly for head lice. Catching it early helps prevent the spread of lice to others. Students who have lice must be treated before returning to school or daycare. No live lice are to be seen. Nits are not considered live lice. If you have questions, contact your child's school health office for more information. ConcussionsWhat is a concussion? A concussion is a brain injury. They are caused by a bump or blow to the head. Even a mild bump or blow can be serious.
What are the signs and symptoms of a concussion? Look for any of these symptoms: appears dazed or stunned, confusion, forgetful, moves clumsily, loses consciousness (even briefly), can't recall events prior to or after the injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise, and feels foggy. What should you do? 1.) Seek medical attention right away. A health care professional will be able to decide how serious the concussion is. 2.) Keep your child out of play. Concussions take time to heal. Children who return to play too soon risk a greater chance of having a second concussion which can cause permanent brain damage. 3.) Tell your child's coach or teacher about any recent concussion. A plan will be developed as when your child can safely participate. Strep ThroatStrep Throat can start suddenly with fever, red sore throat, and swollen glands. In some children and adults, headache, nausea, stomach ache, and vomiting may be more common. A fine raised rash could also occur.
It is contagious and students need to stay home for 24 hours after treatment has begun. Antibiotics are given to treat strep throat. Check out more about strep throat and other illness at: childcare manual Flu or Not Flu?Winter is a prime time for colds and flu. You can prevent them and other illnesses by simple handwashing. Wash your hands with soap and water for about 20 seconds before you eat or touch your face. Hands carry a variety of germs and they enter our bodies through touching our eyes, nose, or mouth.
Wash your hands after using the bathroom or cough or sneeze into a tissue. If your can't wash your hands with soap and water, use a hand sanitizer to kill the germs. Stay home when you are sick. Going to school or work when you are sick spreads the germs to other healthy people. Students, even though you may have a test, presentation, or project due on a day you are not feeling well, stay home. You won't do your best during that activity and it is best to get well first. Stay home when you are sick. Influenza-like Illness Symptom Screening Tool for Parents and Caregivers |
