Nurse's Office

When to keep your child home from school:

• Temperature over 100.4 degrees in the last 24 hours. If you suspect that they may be sick please check their temperature with a thermometer before sending them to school. If they have a fever it is not appropriate to send them to school, even if you give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen and their fever breaks. Your child will still be contagious to other children and will also not be feeling well enough to learn.
• Vomiting or diarrhea occurred in the last 12 to 24 hours.
• An unexplained rash appeared.
• Red or crusty eye lids or drainage from eyes appeared.
• Headache, cough, sore throat, or congestion severe enough to interfere with attention to school work.
• Flare ups from asthma occur, that would make it difficult to work in school.
• Anytime your child is unable to perform their usual activities

Sometimes it can be difficult to decide whether or not to send your child to school when they start to exhibit symptoms of sickness. Please review the following guidelines about attendance during these times. Students are dismissed and are best kept home if they have: 

SEVERE COLD/COUGH: Ask yourself if it disturbs your child’s sleep or everyday activities, and consider the amount of congestion present. Perform at-home rapid Covid testing if your child has been exposed, and/or exhibits other symptoms associated with the virus. 

CONJUNCTIVITIS/PINK-EYE: Characterized by discharge, itchy, red eyes, requires a full day (24 hours) of antibiotic therapy and/or medical clearance before returning to school 

FEVER: Any temperature over 100.4 or an elevation associated with symptoms like lethargy, nausea, headache, etc. Fever should be resolved for 24 hrs. without the use of over-the-counter medication before returning to school 

GASTROINTESTINAL: Diarrhea and vomiting should have subsided for at least one day (24 hours). 

PAIN: Any persistent discomfort, (headache, sore throat, stomachache, ear pain) with or without impaired mobility 

RASHES: Any skin eruption not readily identified as not contagious, may need medical clearance 

SORE THROAT/STREP: Students need to have completed 24 hours of an antibiotic course before returning to school. 

Another question to ask is “Can my child do work?”  This is a great gauge to use to determine if your child still needs some additional recovery time. If you are unsure, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Bonnie Simmons if you are uncertain if your child is “fit for duty” or any other concerns at 401-398-1522. 

Please avoid administering over-the-counter medications to control symptoms during the onset or recovery period for an undiagnosed condition. 

In the elementary school setting, students are not allowed to self-carry any medication without the authorization of their medical provider. Medications may be delivered to the school by any parent or designated adult in an original container.

Please continue to call in all absences daily to Frenchtown School. In addition, the report of symptoms your child is experiencing helps us to detect patterns of illness. Thank you for sharing this crucial information when calling in your child’s absence and for being mindful of district policies regarding attendance.

 

Cold and flu season seems to always be around the corner. It’s not always easy to tell the difference between a cold and the flu, but here are some general symptoms that may help differentiate between them:

Flu Symptoms

• Chills
• Decreased Appetite
• Dry Cough
• Headache
• High Fever
• Muscle Aches
• Severe Exhaustion
• Sudden Onset
• Usually no sore throat

Cold Symptoms

• Mild Exhaustion
• No (or mild) Fever
• Normal Appetite
• Severe or Hacking Cough
• Slow Onset
• Sore Throat
• Usually no chills
• Usually no headache
• Usually no muscle aches

Important note: Symptoms vary from child to child, so call your child’s healthcare provider if you suspect the flu. (Source: www.kidshealth.org)

Specific contact information for your particular child's school nurse can be found in the staff directory.

Related Medication (Prescription & Nonprescription) Files and Forms

1. Med Form - Doctor Signature - Known Prescription (PDF)
2. Medication Release Form Non-Prescription (PDF)
3. Online Parent Guide To Mental Health Resources 2015 (PDF)
4. School Physical Form (PDF)

Prescription Medications
If your child requires medicine to be given in school, a parent must request in writing that the medicine be given. You can access medication authorization forms to print and complete for prescription medication on this website . It is important to note that no prescription medication will be given without a written order from the physician.

Please note that all medication must be in the original container with the child's name and the dosage instructions on the label. Medicine that is not in the original container (such as a plastic bag) cannot be administered in school. Twice a day medicines should be given at home, with doses spaced as close to 12 hours apart as possible. Three times a day medicines should be given at home in the morning, after school, and at bedtime.

Non-Prescription Medications
School nurses may give nonprescription medications with parental permission. The following guidelines need to be followed:

• At the beginning of the school year parents complete an Emergency Contact Form that provides parents with the opportunity to sign permission for the School Nurse to administer stock medications to the student.
• The School Nurse's office stocks Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, antacid tablets and cough drops.
• If your child requires any other over-the-counter medications, those medications must be provided by the parent/guardian, in the original manufacturer's packaging and accompanied by assigned Medication Administration Parent Authorization form and a Doctor's order that must be on file with the School Nurse's office.
• The school nurse must assess the child's complaint and symptoms to determine if other measures can be used before medication is given.
• The school nurse must be notified of any allergies, especially to medication, that your child has.

Specific contact information for your particular child's school nurse can be found in the staff directory.

Food Allergies
Please contact the school nurse immediately if your child is diagnosed with a food allergy, particularly one that is serious enough to require medication (such as a peanut allergy). For more information regarding Food Allergies visit Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) website.

Epi-Pen Training Power Point (PPT) is also a useful document. 

Asthma
Asthma is a chronic health condition that affects a person's lungs and their ability to breath. If your child has asthma, please consider completing an Asthma Action Plan form (PDF) with your child's doctor and providing the school nurse with a copy. This plan will remain on file in the health office and will be shared with staff on a need-to-know basis. Asthma Action forms are very important resources for the nurse to have in the event of an emergency or if your child develops an urgent asthma need during school hours. This form should be updated each school year. To take the online Asthma Control Test (ACT), go to www.asthmacontrol.com to find out what your child's score is and to obtain information that can be printed out and shared with your child's doctor.

 

As we kick off another school year, it is important that our parents have accurate information about head lice, especially in light of recent reports of resistance. The East Greenwich school district School Nurse-Teachers encourage you to familiarize yourself with this topic by accessing the information we have posted on our webpage. Our protocols have been and continue to be consistent with the standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses. If you suspect your child has head lice PLEASE notify your school nurse, this will help us maintain early detection and treatment in order to limit its prevalence in our community. 

Absence From School
Diagnosed students can return to school after the completion of the first pediculicide shampoo. Students identified with live lice at school will be sent home at the end of the school day and the parents of the student(s) will be notified by the school nurse so that treatment can occur.

Other Precautions
Please contact the school nurse if head lice are discovered on your child. Names will be kept confidential. This process allows the school to monitor possible recurrence and spread. Close contacts or those who may have had close head to head contact such as household members and playmates of infested children should be examined by a parent/guardian. In addition, it is important to periodically inspect your child's head throughout the school year.

Remember Lice do not cause disease, but it can take time and work to get rid of them. 

Questions: If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your school nurse directly or your primary care physician. Avoid under-reporting; seek guidance regarding treatment protocols; and understand that we will always maintain confidentiality.

Additional Information:
Head Lice 101

Pediculosis Management in the School Setting (Nat'l Assoc of School Nurses)

Today Show Clip

School-Based Health Screenings
Dental
Pre-Kindergarten, Grades Kindergarten through 5, 1 screening between grades 7-10

Hearing
Pre-Kindergarten, Grades Kindergarten through 3, and any student new to school without record

Vision
Kindergarten through Grade 5, Grade 7 and 9

Scoliosis
Grade 6 through 8

 

 

As we enjoy springtime, the thought of gardening and playing on sunny ball fields, and hiking through the woods sounds enticing. Yes, for most of us, it can't happen fast enough. However, we live in the Northeast where the deer population is prominent. With deer come deer ticks which carry a bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. 

Symptoms
Lyme Disease starts as a rash at the sight of the tick bite and appears within a week to the month of the bite. Some infected people get a classic red rash, but many do not. Early symptoms include: 

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headaches
• Muscle and Joint Pain
• Skin Rash
• Stiff Neck
• Swollen Lymph Nodes

Lyme Disease begins as a rash and progresses to affect the joints, the heart, and the central nervous system. Because symptoms of Lyme Disease can vary in intensity, many times the disease can progress unchecked. So prevention becomes most important.

Prevention Methods
Ways to prevent Lyme Disease include:

• Being aware of and avoiding tick habitats such as tall grass, bushes, brush, and woods.
• Wearing socks pulled over pant legs.
• If you do go into such habitats, wear a long sleeved shirt and check yourself for ticks.
• Throw worn clothing in the dryer on high for at least 10 minutes.
• Inspect your pets after being outdoors and use tick control pet products.
• Use tick repellent on clothing.
  
  This disease is a growing public health threat. Unfortunately, you can get tick bites from your pets in your own backyard - it doesn't have to be a classic habitat. By being alert of the early symptoms and being mindful about prevention techniques, you can look forward to this spring and summer in good health.

For additional information, please go to:

 Tickencounter.org

Emergency Cards (Contact Information)
Remember: It is very important that we have current phone numbers for all our students in case of emergency. Please call the school or the clinic if you have recently changed your home, work, or cell phone number so we can add that information to your child's Emergency Card. We also suggest that you add your child's school phone number to your phone contacts list.

Contacts Per School
Meadowbrook Farms Elementary - 401-398-1502
Denise Sullivan CSN-T - 401-398-1612

Frenchtown Elementary - 401-398-1503
Bonnie Brayton-Simmons CSN-T - 401-398-1522 

George R. Hanaford Elementary - 401-398-1501
Karyn Hildebrandt  CSN-T - 401-398-1268

James H. Eldredge Elementary - 401-398-1500
Rebecca Barone CSN-T - 401-398-1363

Archie R. Cole Middle School - 401-398-1400
Leslie Green CSN-T - 401-398-1354 

East Greenwich High School - 401-398-1300
Andrea Ridlon-Jarmie CSN-T - 401-398-1589