Health

Medications (including OTC)

Please remember that students are not allowed to transport medicine (including over the counter medicine/cough drops) to and from school.  All medicine must be brought in by an adult in the original package to the nurse's office and the appropriate paperwork will have to be filled out and signed. 

Over the counter medication can only be administered for 3 consecutive days.  After the 3 days parent/guardian must pick up any unused medication or it will be discarded.   

Fever/Vomiting/Diarrhea

If your child is sent home with a fever/vomiting/diarrhea or if they have these symptoms at home, they are not to return to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours without any fever reducing medication and 24 hours with no vomiting or diarrhea. 

Lice

With every school year comes the possibility that your child will contract head lice.  This condition can cause stress in many families.  The lice love clean hair.  They are transmitted by head to head contact, sharing of hats, brushes, combs, headbands, hair bows, decorative hair ties, pillows, just to name a few ways.  Lice do not jump or fly.  So it is best to remind your children not to share any hair products with other students.

There are products that you can use to help prevent a lice infestation.  Shampoo with tea tree oil helps deter lice as they do not like the smell of it.  

If your child is sent home with head lice, you will be asked to treat them with either over the counter or prescription lice treatment.  You will then need to bring them to school the next morning to have their hair checked before they will be allowed to re-enter the classroom or ride the bus.  Do Not Send Your Student Back To School On The Bus Until They Have Been Cleared By The Nursing Office First.  Also note that absence for head lice is only excused 1 time per school year.

Tina Wolfe, RN - Bend Gate School Nurse