FAQ: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. What do I need to do if my child needs medication during school hours?
2. What do I do if my child is going to be absent?
3. When should I call the Health Office?
4. When should I keep my child home?
5. What do I do if I think my child has head lice?

What do I need to do if my child needs medication during school hours?

If your child is placed on medication that may need to be given during school
hours, please call me at 628-3500 Ext. 247.  
All medication, whether prescribed by a physician, over the counter or
supplements require a doctor's order and a parent permission slip. 
Medications must be in the original bottle.  
Medications must be brought in by the parent.

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What do I do if my child is going to be absent?

Please call the attendance line at 628-3500 Ext. 555.  A doctor's note is
required if your child is absent for 5 consecutive days.  
If your child is going to have an extended absence due to illness or injury,
call me.
Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook pages 17-18 regarding attendance.

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When should I call the Health Office?

If your child has suffered an injury or illness that may require
accommodations at school. An example would be needing crutches or a wheelchair.
If your child is unable to participate in gym or other physical activities. 
If your child develops a medical condition that may require treatment such as
diabetes, epilepsy or severe allergy.
If you have concerns about a health issue.

Your child has had a head injury, with or without loss of consciousness.

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When should I keep my child home?

If your child has had a fever.  Children should be without fever for 24 hours
before returning to school.
If your child has been vomiting.  Children should stay home for 24 hours since
they last vomited to rest and replace fluids.
Your child requires pain medication that may cause drowsiness.

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What do I do if I think my child has head lice?

The only way to know is to perform careful checks of your child's head
frequently.  This is done with 
a good light source, sitting behind your child.  The most common places to
find nits are at the nape 
of the neck, around the ears and under bangs.  Live lice are not easy to see.
 A fine tooth comb may 
be helpful.  Nits appear as small, grayish-white, ovals, attached to the hair
shaft.  They may 
resemble dandruff, or hair product buildup, but must be removed physically. 
These are most often 
found in the first 1/2 inch from the root.  A red rash at the nape of the neck
may also indicate lice.    
If you find something, DO NOT PANIC.  You can call me for more information.  
Call your child's doctor for treatment.  I have included some basic
information for you here.  

Head Lice Information

Surprising Things You Might Not Know About Head Lice
Gerri Harvey, RN, M.Ed. 
School Nurse Perspectives
http://www.snp.homestead.com 


1. Until a few years ago, approaches to head lice were based on old wives
tales, misconceptions 
and marketing departments for the companies who made products for profit from
 Head Lice 
Hysteria. Luckily, we now have research upon which to base our practice. Thank
you, Harvard !


2. Head lice are not a sign of uncleanliness; they love clean hair because it
is easier to latch 
on.


3. Lice do not hop, jump or fly; the only way they can get from one person to
another is direct 
touching, head-to-head.


4. Lice are not passed on pets. The only place head lice can survive and
thrive is on the human 
head.


5. When found, most cases of head lice are already more than a month old. One
sign  is a red 
itchy rash on the lack of the neck, just below the hair line.


6. Because of use and overuse of head lice shampoos, head lice have become
resistant to the 
products that once would kill them, so no head lice product is 100 %
effective, even if you 
follow the directions to the letter. That is why combing and nit removal is
important.


7. Never treat or retreat "just in case" in the absence of live lice. Head
lice products are 
pesticides, which are toxic if overused and can be absorbed through the skin.
Follow the 
directions carefully.


8. Removing the nits (eggs) and live lice with a special metal-tooth comb is
time-consuming but 
the most effective way to get rid of them. They do not wash out.


9. Hats and coats touching in school are not sources of lice and there is no
need to separate or 
bag them. A louse on a hat or coat is a dying louse who will not be capable of
reproducing. 
Healthy ones stay close to the scalp until they sense another human head. They
cannot survive 
without blood, that is why they bite.


10. Head lice are not a source of infection or disease; they are simply a
nuisance.

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