NURSE’S NOTES

Joni Brunkhorst

Health Services

Flu Shot Update

Bird Flu facts

Web Health Resources

 

 

 

IMMUNIZATION NEWS

 

KINDERGARTEN REQUIREMENTS

         

5 doses-DPT-Diphtheria, Pertusis, Tetanus

          4 doses-Polio

          2 doses-MMR-Measles, Mumps, Rubella

3 doses-Hepatitis B (a fourth may be needed if the second shot was not 28 days after the first of if the third shot was given before the child was 6 months of age.

1 dose-Varicella-Chicken Pox (if the child had the Chicken Pox disease, all that is needed is a signed statement)

Also required is a:

 Birth certificate

Social Security card

Doctor’s physical dated after March  1st of the school year (purple form)

Dental check up (pink form)

Custody papers if needed

 

These requirements will be necessary for your child to begin school. Any questions call Brunner School at

419-855-8373 ext. 0.

 

 

7TH GRADE REQUIRMENTS

 

 

The MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) shot is no longer needed at 7th grade time starting for the 7th graders in the 2006-2007 school year. These students received their second MMR shot at kindergarten time. It may, however, be time for an additional Tetanus shot. They need updated every 10 years. This is not mandated through the schools but it is highly recommended. There is no cure for Tetanus-prevention through vaccination is the only treatment. Tetanus grows in dirt. Any injury with a skin break is a concern. Being current with a Tetanus vaccination is important for everyone-young through adulthood.

 

 

 

 

LICE FACTS

 

Lice are as easy to catch as the common cold. Head lice are not disease carriers. Lice need a human to survive on. Pets do not carry them. They cannot jump or fly. Lice are tiny wingless insects that are spread by direct contact with an infested child or article of clothing, furniture or hair item. They can be spread by: using an infested person’s hairbrush, hat, coat, scarf, or lying on an infested mattress, carpet, or furniture. The tiny grayish-white nits or eggs are teardrop shaped and stick to the hair shaft like glue. Lice will not blow out or comb out and cannot be shampooed out with a regular shampoo. The bug itself is the size of a sharpened pencil lead and is very fast as it runs up and down the hair shaft. Their eggs hatch in 7-10 days. The average female louse lays 4-6 eggs daily. The most common symptom is itching. The nits are most commonly found at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. There are many over-the-counter remedies for killing lice. You must follow the directions exactly to be effective. You should contact your doctor if: someone has allergies or asthma; if you need to use it on a child under 2 years of age; you are pregnant or nursing; or anyone with nits in the eyebrows or eyelashes.

 

Wash and treat the hair over the sink. This prevents the product from going all over the body. This is an insecticide so follow the directions and do not use it anymore often than every 7-10 days and only if nits are seen. Head lice stay on the head only. The lice product only kills the bug not the nit (despite its claims). This is why it is important and necessary to pull, comb, or pick all of the nits out of the hair. Genoa Schools have a nit-free policy. The child must have all the nits removed before he/she will be allowed to return to school. There is a new problem with the bugs becoming resistant to the treatments. There have been home remedies developed to help with this problem. I usually recommend that you treat with a lice-killing product first (Rid, nix etc.) and then follow with a mayonnaise treatment later. These home treatments are inexpensive and safe and can be repeated daily if needed. You coat the hair with Real Mayonnaise. It must be Real not fat-free or a salad dressing mixture. It is the fat that smothers the bug. After the application, cover the hair with plastic wrap or a shower cap and leave on for 4-6 hours. This treatment is safe and makes the nits easier to pull. YOU STILL MUST PULL EVERY NIT. It only takes one nit to hatch and start the problem all over again. It has also been proven that using a shampoo with Sodium Laurel Sulfate DAILY helps with preventing lice (this is not a treatment only a prevention). This is found in many inexpensive shampoos (White Rain, Herbal Essence and others). Treat everyone that is infested at the same time. Wash the towel and any clothing the child was wearing prior to the treatment, Wash and dry everything the child has come in contact with. This includes sheets, blankets & bedding, coats, hair ribbons, hairbrushes, stuffed animals, headphones and clothing worn over the past few days. Anything that cannot be washed and dried in the dryer should be sealed in a garbage bag for 2 weeks. All carpets and furniture must be vacuumed daily for the next 7-10 days. The mattress should be swept and flipped over. Check the child and other family members daily for nits for the next 7-10 days after the initial treatment. If you see any evidence of new nits, you will need to retreat in 7-10 day from the first treatment. DO NOT treat with the lice shampoo (Rid, Nix) any more often that 7 days apart. They are insecticides and harmful if not used properly. Please bring your child to the school office to be checked and cleared to return to the classroom. Any questions, please call me through the school.

 

 

                                                                   Joni Brunkhorst

                                                                   Health Services

                                                                   Genoa Area Schools

 

Schedule:

 

Monday Allen 419-855-7795 ext. 14

Tuesday Brunner 419-855-8373 ext. 14

Wednesday District call any school to check location

Thursday High School 419-855-7735 ext. 14

Friday Middle School 419-855-7781 ext. 14

 

Please leave a voice mail and I will return your call as soon as possible or press 0 and the secretary will locate me in the district.