LaVerna Evans: Information

From the Nurse

November 05, 2007

Notes from the Nurse

Important Medical Information

O'Fallon District 90 has a medication policy designed to address the needs of students who must take medication during the day in order to be successful in school. We also attempt to accommodate those students who require antibiotics, inhalers, eye or ear drops during the school day. In addition, we must protect those children with allergies to substances that are found in products such as the menthol in cough drops. The policy requires all medication be accompanied by a written doctor's order and parent permission. Medication is defined as prescription drugs or anything bought over the counter to include but not be limited to cough drops, cough syrup, Tylenol, or Motrin, Benadryl, Sudafed, etc. Click here for the School Authorization Medication Form.

1. Prescription medication must be in a container from the pharmacy labeled with:
	Student name
	Name of medication
	Dosage
	Time of administration
2. The order must be signed by a physician-a nurse's signature will not be accepted.
3. Please request a written doctor's order if you visit the doctor's office, emergency room, or medi-care center. We will accept an order written on a prescription pad. An emergency room discharge summary is not acceptable unless signed by a doctor.
4. Over-the-counter medication must be in the original container with the students name on it.

Illness

We recommend that you not send your child to school if:
1.	the child has a fever above 100.5 and until the child has been fever-free for 24 hours.
2.	the child has vomited twice or more in 24 hours.
3.	the child has diarrhea.
4.	the child has pink eye and/or white or yellow discharge from the eye.
5.	the child has head lice. The child must be treated and nit-free before returning to school per District policy.
6.	the child has strep throat or scarlet fever. The child must have been on an antibiotic for 24 hours to return to school.
7.	the child has chicken pox. All lesions must be dried and crusted before they return to school.
8.	the child has impetigo, a highly contagious skin infection, marked by a weepy, scaly or crusty rash that has to be treated for 24 hours.
9.	the child has ringworm, until it is treated. It will need to be covered while at school.

Please remember to contact the school by 9 a.m. if your child is going to be absent.

Head Lice

Head lice is a fact of life in all schools. O'Fallon School District 90 has a "no nit" policy. When children are discovered to have live lice or nits, they are sent home to be treated and may not return to school until all the nits have been removed. You can help by keeping the following in mind:

	1. Instruct your children not to share combs, hats, or anything that touches their hair and coats with other children.
	2. Check your child's hair regularly. If you don't know what to look for, ask your school nurse.
	3. Please report all cases of head lice to the school nurse. We will check your child's class and do follow-up at school. Your privacy will be respected.

Food Allergies

We are seeing an increase in allergies to food and other environmental substances. Peanut butter and dairy products account for the greatest number of food allergies. Before sending treats to school, please check the ingredients carefully and ask the teacher or nurse about possible allergies among your child's classmates. Before bringing any pets to school, check with the classroom teacher or nurse for allergies to animal dander or asthma reactions.

Emergency Phone Numbers

We realize you cannot anticipate every time we may need to reach you (neither can we). However, it is important that you keep your home, work and emergency phone numbers current in the school office and with the nurse. We do not release students to people not listed on the emergency card.

Staph Infections

Refer to the November newsletter for information about staph infections. An online link for the November newsletter is near the bottom of the News/Reminders page.