Due to persistent head lice issues district wide, I'm adding our parent information sheets in both English and Spanish.  Hopefully this is a helpful resource to parents who are struggling to get rid of head lice in their homes.

Lice treatment

Does your student have head lice?  DON’T PANIC!  While head lice are not an enjoyable experience, it’s a nuisance and not an emergency.  Lice cannot jump or fly, but are usually passed on from direct head-to-head contact.  Please discourage your children from allowing their heads to touch with other heads.  If your child has long hair it may be helpful to keep hair pulled back in ponytails, braids or buns. 

If you choose to use the medicated shampoo to kill the live lice, you still need to remove the nits (eggs) that are glued to the hair shaft.  If you do not remove ALL of the nits, they are still capable of hatching and starting the whole process all over again.  There are alternatives to using medicated lice shampoos, however you should do your research and consult with your health care provider for best options.  Some lice are resistant to medicated shampoos, so alternative options may be helpful and/or necessary.  The Nit Free Terminator Lice Comb comes highly recommended to help with nit/lice removal. 

Lice die after 24 hours without a blood source/host.  Female lice lay 3 to 5 eggs per day on average, sometimes more.  Eggs (nits) hatch within 7 to 10 days.  Once hatched, females start laying eggs within 7 to 10 days. 

It’s a good idea to wash all bedding that your child has come in contact with.  If you can dry on high heat, this will help kill nits also. 20 minutes is sufficient time on high heat in a dryer.   Anything that can’t be washed or thrown in the dryer on high heat should be bagged up in garbage bags and left alone for 2 weeks. 

There are lots of lice products out there, you can buy (nit combs, etc.), but the most important thing you can do is be vigilant in checking for nits daily.  I would keep this up until you have several thorough nit picking sessions in which you do not find any nits.  Nits like the back of the head close to the neck and behind the ears, but can be found anywhere on the head.  Focus on nits that are close to the scalp – within ¼ to ½ an inch from the scalp.  Nits farther away from the scalp have most likely hatched and you’re looking at the empty shell.  Repeated combing of the hair with a nit removal comb is highly recommended as well. 

If you use medicated shampoo you should re-apply in one week with medicated shampoo to kill any nits that have hatched and not been detected.  This will help kill the nymphs (newly hatched lice).  If you skip this step, you will be back to square one once the nymphs mature and can start laying eggs. 

Keep in mind that you should check all members of your household for nits/lice.  If your child has had recent sleep overs or play dates, talk with those parents, as they should check their children as well. 

Don’t forget to bag up or clean items like backpacks, coats, scarves, hair accessories, pillows, hats, brushes/combs, etc. 

You are welcome to call the school and speak with the nurse or the health assistant for any questions or concerns. 

Here are some websites with great information and resources. 

www.healthline.com

www.liceknowingyou.com

www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/

Tratamiento contra los piojos

Su hijo tiene piojos? NO cunda el pánico! Mientras que los piojos no son una experiencia agradable, es una molestia y no es una emergencia. Los piojos no pueden saltar ni volar, pero por lo general se transmiten por el contacto directo de cabeza a cabeza.

Después de utilizar el champú medicinal para matar a los piojos vivos, sigue siendo necesario para eliminar las liendres (huevos) que se pegan al cabello. Si no se retiran todos las liendres, que son todavía capaces de incubar y de iniciar todo el proceso de nuevo. Hay alternativas al uso de champús medicados piojos, sin embargo usted debe hacer su investigación y consultar con su proveedor de atención médica para obtener mejores opciones. Algunos piojos son resistentes a los champúes medicinales, por lo que las opciones alternativas pueden ser útiles.

Los piojos mueren después de 24 horas sin una fuente de sangre / anfitrión. Piojos hembras ponen de 3 a 5 huevos por día en promedio, a veces más. Los huevos (liendres) eclosionan en 7 a 10 días. Una vez incubados, las hembras comienzan a poner huevos dentro de los 7 a 10 días.

Es una buena idea para lavar la ropa de cama que su hijo ha estado en contacto con. Si se puede secar a temperatura alta, esto ayudará a matar las liendres también. 20 minutos es tiempo suficiente a fuego alto en una secadora. Cualquier cosa que no se puede lavar o lanzado en la secadora a temperatura alta se debe embolsó en bolsas de basura y dejó solo durante 2 semanas.

Hay un montón de productos contra los piojos por ahí, usted puede comprar un peine fino, etc., pero lo más importante que puede hacer es ser vigilante en la comprobación de las liendres diariamente. Me gustaría seguir con esto hasta que tenga varias sesiones a fondo nit picking en la que no encuentra ningún liendres. Las liendres como la parte posterior de la cabeza cerca del cuello y detrás de las orejas, pero se pueden encontrar en cualquier parte de la cabeza. Centrarse en las liendres que se encuentran cerca del cuero cabelludo - dentro de ¼ a ½ pulgada del cuero cabelludo. Las liendres más lejos del cuero cabelludo más probable es que han eclosionado y que está buscando en la cáscara vacía.

Una semana después de que se aplicó el champú para piojos medicado, debe volver a aplicar con un champú medicinal para matar las liendres que hayan nacido y no se ha detectado. Esto ayudará a matar las ninfas (piojos recién nacidos). Si se salta este pasó, se le dé vuelta al punto de partida una vez que las ninfas maduran y se puede empezar a poner huevos.

Tenga en cuenta que usted debe comprobar todos los miembros de su hogar para liendres / piojos. Si el niño ha tenido excedentes del sueño o los últimos días de juego, hablar con los padres, ya que deben revisar sus hijos también.

No se olvide de la bolsa hacia arriba o artículos de limpieza como mochilas, abrigos, bufandas, accesorios para el cabello, almohadas, sombreros, cepillos / peines, etc.

Que son bienvenidos a llamar a la escuela y hablar con la enfermera o el asistente de salud para cualquier pregunta o preocupación.

Aquí hay algunos sitios web con mucha información y recursos.

www.healthline.com

www.liceknowingyou.com

www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/

Tick season is here

This is shaping up to be a busy year for ticks.  Here is some information provided by the health department and NCESD as well as information on proper tick removal from kidshealth.org.    

STOP TICKS!

http://www.cdc.gov/features/stopticks/

 

I strongly suggest people put the tick in alcohol if it has bitten them. That way if they develop a febrile illness the tick can be identified. Tick-borne diseases are unique to certain ticks (please see below). Please recall that it takes 24-36 hours for a tick to begin to transmit any tick-borne disease.

Therefore prompt tick removal is extremely important.

 

These photos may help people identify ticks. Ixodes pacificus is the only tick that transmits Lyme disease on the West Coast. Please note that Borrelia burgdorferi, the bug that causes Lyme disease, has only been detected on the West Side in Clallam, Mason and Klickitat counties. There are a few more details at the bottom of this email.  http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Pests/Ticks/TickPhotoGallery

 

 

http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/333-179.pdf Tick submission form. Please note you will be told the tick species, but NOT whether it is infected with any disease.

FIRST AID:  Tick Bites

While most tick bites are harmless and don't require medical treatment, some ticks (like the deer tick, wood tick, and others) can carry harmful germs and cause diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. The deer tick is tiny, no larger than a pencil point. Other ticks are larger and easier to find on the skin.

Signs and Symptoms

Of Tick-Related Diseases:

·         a red bump ringed by an expanding red rash, which looks like a bull's-eye (Lyme disease)

·         red dots on the ankles and wrists (Rocky Mountain spotted fever)

·         flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, vomiting, and muscle and joint aches

What to Do

If the tick is still attached to the skin, follow these steps:

1.    Use tweezers to grasp the tick firmly at its head or mouth, next to the skin.

2.    Pull firmly and steadily until the tick lets go of the skin. Do not twist the tick or rock it from side to side. If part of the tick stays in the skin, don't worry. It will eventually come out on its own.

3.    Release the tick into a jar or zip-locked bag in case you want to have it identified later on.

4.    Wash your hands and the site of the bite with soap and water.

5.    Swab the bite site with alcohol.

Never use petroleum jelly or a hot match to kill and remove a tick. These methods don't get the tick off the skin, and can cause the insect to burrow deeper and release more saliva (which increases the chances of disease transmission).

Seek Medical Care If:

·         The tick might have been on the skin for more than 24 hours.

·         Part of the tick remains in the skin after attempted removal.

·         A rash of any kind develops (especially a red-ringed bull's-eye rash or red dots on wrists and ankles).

·         The bite area looks infected (increasing warmth, swelling, pain, or oozing pus).

·         Symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, stiff neck or back, or muscle or joint aches develop.

Think Prevention!

·         After kids play outside, check their skin and hair — especially the scalp, behind the ears, around the neck, and under the arms.

·         When playing in wooded areas, kids should wear long-sleeved shirts and pants and tuck pant legs into their socks.

·         Use an insect repellant with at least 10% to 30% DEET for protection against bites and stings in kids older than 2 years, always carefully following the directions for application.

·         Avoid tick-infested areas.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: April 2014

http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/sheets/tick_bites_sheet.html

Measles information

For those of you following the news, you're probably aware of the recent outbreaks of the measles.  Because we are part of the public school systems, students are required to either have proof of vaccination or an exemption form in place that allows them to attend school without the vaccination.  Here is some basic information provided in the Infectious Disease Control Guide which is put out by OSPI.  This is the information and guidelines I follow as the school nurse. Hopefully it will be informative and helpful to you.  

Measles is a highly infectious viral disease that can lead to serious complications. These complications include ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis and even death.  A single case of measles is considered a public health emergency.  

Measles begin with cold-like symptoms:  cough, runny nose, red itchy watery eyes and a high fever.  Two to four days after symptoms begin, a raised red rash will appear on the head and spread downward to become a full body rash, usually lasting 5-6 days.  People with measles appear quite ill.  

Measles is spread by airborne droplets or by nasal and throat secretions of an infected person.  The average time from exposure to beginning of the rash is 14 days.  Measles is infectious from one day before the beginning of respiratory symptoms to about 4 days after the appearance of the rash.  

If a student or staff member in the school develops a confirmed case of measles, the local health officer may require students who have not received two doses of the MMR vaccine to be excluded from school for 21 days after the last exposure, regardless of vaccine doses received after exposure. 

Please talk to your students/children about the importance of not sharing items that may be contaminated with saliva.  Dispose of or clean items that may be soiled with nose and throat discharge.  Cover your sneeze or cough with the crook of your arm, and encourage proper hand washing.  

Measles can be controlled and eventually eliminated if children are vaccinated fully and on time.  

Please feel free to contact me if you  have any questions or concerns.  If your child is diagnosed with measles, please contact the school as soon as possible.  

Thank you,

Amber Varrelman,  RN

District Nurse

509-782-2001

Welcome back to school!!

I hope you had fun over the summer and are excited for a new school year.  

Remember to encourage your students to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.  We're seeing lots of illness at the schools right now.  If your student has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher, please keep them home from school until the fever is gone (for 24 hours.)  Stomach virus, colds, strep throat and pink eye seem to be making the rounds.  

Another thing we're seeing again is head lice.  Please keep an eye on your student(s) and if they're complaining of an itchy head, or you notice them scratching, take a few minutes and look for signs of head lice.  Small whitish grey nits (eggs)  attached to the hair shaft close to the scalp, or even very small lice crawling through the hair.  If you suspect head lice, you can check with your health care provider, or ask the school nurse or health clerk to check your student's head.  All head lice must be treated and student must be nit free to return to school.  It is helpful if you communicate with the school if/when your student has head lice.  

If your child needs medication at school, please don't send it with them to take on their own.  All medication should be cleared through the nurses office and proper documentation should be in place before it can be administered by an authorized adult.  If your student requires an Epi Pen or an asthma inhaler, contact the school nurse immediately if you have not done so already.  Lots of students at the middle school and high school levels are bringing their inhalers to use, but don't have a signed note from their health care provider in place.  

Some of you may have received letters from the nurses office regarding your student's immunization status.  If you have questions, please feel free to call and speak with the nurse, 782-2001.  If your student needs an immunization, a simple nurse visit may be all that you need to get this accomplished.  If you choose not to vaccinate, you will need a Certificate of Exemption signed by your health care provider.  

Last, but certainly not least, food allergies!!  Please keep in mind that more and more students are being diagnosed with severe food allergies and this can be a very scary and sometimes life threatening thing that they deal with on a daily basis.  We ask that you take this into consideration if/when you bring snacks into your students classroom (more applicable for Vale students).  Check with your students teacher before bringing a snack in, as there may be a student with a severe food allergy in that classroom and your snack may not be allowed.  Some teachers have approved snack lists for their classroom and we ask that you only bring snack items in from the list they provide.  It may seem inconvenient at times, however it may also save another students life.  Unfortunately peanuts and tree nuts seem to be one of the more common culprits with food allergies.  Please consider reading food labels and making yourself more aware.  

Have a fantastic fall and don't hesitate to call with health related questions.  

Thanks, 

Mrs. Varrelman - District Nurse

Summer Safety

With the school year wrapping up I wanted to remind everyone to have a fun, safe summer.  

Some things to keep in mind during the hot summer months are the importance of staying well hydrated - drinking lots of water and using sun screen when spending time outside (sunny or cloudy).  As the school year winds down and outside temperatures are rising, I'm seeing a lot of students for headaches and sun burns.  With all of the end of year outdoor activities, it's a good idea to apply sun screen to your student prior to school.  We are not able to apply sunscreen at school without a doctor's note.  Keeping well hydrated may keep those headaches at bay as well.  

Also keep in mind that if your children will be home alone during the summer months, they will need access to a phone in case of emergencies as well as a list of phone numbers to call if they need guidance or assistance.  Post your list of emergency contact numbers in a centralized location in your home so it's available for a quick reference.  Vale students will be bringing home a summer safety phone reference sheet to be used if you choose.  If your child attends the MS or HS and you would like a copy of this safety sheet, please contact me at the MS prior to June 11th.  

Kids need to have plenty of healthy snacks available to keep up their energy levels.  To lower risk of fire or burns, consider snacks that don't need to be heated or cooked.  Keeping hydrated is important, but try to avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks, as they don't work as well for re-hydration and are generally not healthy.  

It's important to go over basic first aid and safety with your kids, fire drills for your home and what to do in an emergency (choking, allergic reactions, water safety, etc.)    

Please encourage your children to get plenty of exercise and be safe this summer.  

Have a great break!!

  

 

Summer is approaching

As the school year winds down, there are a few things to remember to do.  Students who have medication that is kept at school need to have a parent or designated adult pick that medication up prior to the end of the school year.  We do not send medication home with students.  If the medication is a life saving medication (Epi pen, insulin, inhaler, etc.) it is necessary to keep it at school until the last day.  You can also pick up medication administration paperwork for next school year if you anticipate your child needing meds at school in the upcoming school year.

If you have a 4th grade student who is transitioning up to the middle school, keep in mind that albuterol inhalers and Epi Pens are usually carried on the student from middle school on.  I like to keep a back up Epi Pen and Benadryl on hand in the office as a safety precaution as well.  If this is something that will affect your child, please consult with your health care provider prior to the start of the new school year.

Another reminder about allergy season - every day students are streaming into my office complaining of allergy related symptoms.  Please consider consulting with your health care provider and/or look into using allergy medications that can be found over the counter.  Always be careful to use the correct dose for your child and use as recommended.  Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is not a good option to use during the day as it may cause drowsiness.

This is a busy time of year, so please make sure your student is well rested and ready for school.

Mrs. Varrelman

Seasonal allergies!!!

It's that time of year again!  Seasonal allergies are making everyone miserable.  Here's the basic run down on seasonal allergy symptoms:

• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Itchy eyes and nose
• Dark circles under the eyes

Airborne allergens also can trigger asthma, a condition in which the airways narrow, making breathing difficult and leading to coughing.  See your health care provider if you suspect your child has asthma or is wheezing/coughing or having difficulty breathing.  Asthma can be life threatening.  

Please make sure NOT to dose your child with Benadryl (diphenhydramine) prior to coming to school as a common side effect is drowsiness.  

If you suspect your child has allergies, consult with your health care provider about how to treat the symptoms. There are several effective over the counter allergy medications that may be beneficial for allergy sufferers.

I have been encouraging students to hydrate, get plenty of rest and do their best to make it through their school day. 

It's also important to remember that anyone can develop allergies at anytime in their life, so even if you've never had allergy problems in the past, it doesn't mean you won't have them now.   

Have a great spring!!