Cold or Flu?

Seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May. So how do you know if it’s just a common cold or if you have the flu? Some things to be on the lookout for include: fever (100.0 F) or above or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness). Common cold symptoms include sneezing, watery/itchy eyes, congestion, sore throat and cough but unlike the flu, fever and muscles aches are not common cold symptoms.  Please keep your children home if they are experiencing flu symptoms to prevent it from spreading to others.

Immunizations (shots)

Why are they important?

• Prepare the body to fight illness

• Protect millions of children from potentially deadly diseases

• Save thousands of lives

 It is the Law in Delaware that children receive certain immunizations in order to attend public school.

Please make sure that your child’s immunizations are up to date. If you have received a notice from the nurse that your child has not received all of the required immunizations, it is important to contact your child’s healthcare provider right away to make an appointment for the necessary immunizations so that your child may continue to attend school.

Hand washing

Did you know that something as simple as hand washing is the single best way to keep from getting sick? When kids come into contact with germs, they can become infected by touching their nose, mouth or eyes. Frequent hand washing can reduce the number of germs unknowingly picked up from desk tops, door knobs or handles, cell phones, computer keyboards, etc.

Lice

Facts: Lice are small insects that spend their entire lives living on humans. They do not cause disease, and having head lice is not a sign of poor hygiene; they are not choosy about who they infest. They do not fly or jump so the spread of lice requires direct head to head contact or sharing of personal items such as hats, jackets, blankets, pillows, sheets etc.  Frequent scalp itching is the most noticeable sign that lice may be present. You may notice small white ‘dandruff-like’ specs attached to the hair shaft that does not come off easily or live lice which are usually tan or dark brown. They move quickly and create a tickling sensation.  If you suspect that your child may have lice it is important to begin treatment right away, following directions on the product package. It is important to repeat the treatment in 1 week and comb through your student’s hair each night for the treatment to be effective. If you are unsure of how to treat lice, please feel free to contact the school nurse, your pharmacist or family doctor.

Sheri Conrad BSN, RN,

Mote Nurse

992-5568

sheri.conrad@redclay.k12.de.us