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!!

Check your students for head lice

I've had several phone calls about head lice over the last couple of weeks.  It seems to be more prevalent in the elementary and middle schools, but it does pop up in the high school as well, so beware.  Here are some helpful hints if head lice happens to you or yours...

After you use the medicated shampoo to kill the live lice, you will 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.  Nit’s can live up to one month, which is why it is so important to remove all of them.  Lice can live 5-7 days away from a human host.  Olive oil seems to help if applied to the hair – helps nits slide off easier. 

When you start the cleaning process, you’ll need to wash all bedding that your child has come in contact with.  I suggest using a laundromat to save time.  A home washing machine and dryer will work just as well…. Just a lot more loads of wash.  L  Use hot water and dry on high heat if possible.  If you can dry on high heat, this will help kill nits also.  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.  Don't forget to throw pillows in the dryer.  

Try drying hair with a blow dryer on high heat setting (be careful not to burn the scalp).  Also try using a curling iron or flat iron on the hair to help kill the nits. 

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 and picking all nits out that you see.  I would keep this up until you have several nit picking sessions that come up without you finding 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.

Keep in mind that you should check all members of your household for nits/lice.  It is also helpful to inform people you are in close contact with so they can be checked 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 clerk for any questions or concerns. 

Thanks,

Mrs. Varrelman

Strep Throat....

Happy Wednesday Cashmere families,

I keep hearing rumblings about strep throat this week, so beware... it's making the rounds.  Just a reminder, if your child has a sore throat and fever with no other cold symptoms, this is a good indicator that they might have strep throat.  You can attempt to look at the back of their throat with a flashlight, sometimes you will see white (pus pocket) spots, this is another indicator of potential strep.  If your child has cold symptoms (congestion, runny  nose, cough, etc.), chances are they don't have strep throat.  Their throat most likely is sore from all the sinus drainage running down their throat and the cold virus that they're fighting.  Antibiotics will not clear up a viral illness, however they will work on a bacterial infection (like strep throat).  If you suspect strep throat you should consider taking your child to their health care provider.  If positive for strep they will need an antibiotic to clear up the infection and will also be infectious and potentially infecting other people/students.  Remember to replace your toothbrush if you have a positive strep throat diagnosis so you don't re-infect yourself.  Your child needs to be on antibiotics for 48 hours before returning to school if diagnosed with strep.  It is very helpful to notify the school if your child is diagnosed with strep throat.  At the elementary level we send out notes to students who've been exposed to strep and it keeps us aware of what is happening (from a health standpoint).

Thanks and stay healthy!

Mrs. Varrelman, RN

Pink eye

Happy Monday,

Sounds like pink eye (bacterial conjunctivitis) may be rearing it's ugly head.  I've received about 3 phone calls in the last week regarding students who have pink eye.  We send students home if we suspect they have pink eye because it's very contagious and frequently requires antibiotic eye drops to clear up quickly.  If your student has a very red, itchy eye which is producing "goopy" material (mucous), it's usually a good indicator that there's conjunctivitis going on.  If your student wakes with their eye "glued shut" from dried mucous, or has a red, goopy eye, please keep them home and consider a visit to your health care provider.  If your child is diagnosed with pink eye (bacterial conjunctivitis), please keep them home until they have been on antibiotic drops for 24 hours and are symptom free.  If you choose not to use antibiotic drops, keep them home until they are symptom free.

Always remember to call the office where your student goes to school and inform the office staff of your child's absence.

Have a great mid winter break.

Mrs. Varrelman

Hello Parents and students,

Here's an update on what we're seeing at all of the schools (in regards to illness/absences).

All three buildings are getting complaints of stomach upset, sometimes with nausea and vomiting - but not always.  Students are also complaining of headache with the occasional fever.  I'm also getting reports of students having diarrhea this week as well.

Please keep your student home for fever/vomiting/diarrhea.  Not everyone is diligent with hand washing and the viruses that cause these types of illness spread quickly.

There have been a couple of cases of strep throat reported in the last week as well.  If your student is complaining of a bad sore throat and has a fever, but no other typical cold symptoms, consider having them evaluated for strep throat.  If strep throat is diagnosed, it's helpful if you contact the school and let someone know.

We're still seeing plenty of students with cold symptoms.  I always encourage those suffering from a cold virus to drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet and get lots of rest.  Warm fluids such as tea are helpful in breaking up sinus congestion.  You can always talk with your health care provider's office about appropriate medication choices for your child during a cold.


Here's hoping you and and your family stay healthy this spring.

Mrs. Varrelman

Welcome...

Cashmere Parents and Students,

My name is Mrs. Varrelman and I'm the district nurse for Cashmere Schools.  I'm based at the middle school, however I travel to Vale or the high school as needed.  I welcome questions and comments, please leave appropriate comments/questions only.  You can email me at avarrelman@cashmere.wednet.edu or contact me at 509-782-2001.  My office hours are 8:00 to 3:30, Monday through Friday and I am available during the school year.

The purpose of this blog is to help inform students and parents about various health issues that arise during the school year.  I will also address other issues as they come up.  If you would like me to expand on an issue, please contact me and I'll do my best to inform and clarify, as appropriate.

Please refrain from using names of other people in your comments - you are welcome to message me privately if you have a matter of concern.

It is my hope that this blog will be helpful, informative and positive for our community.

Sincerely,

Amber Varrelman, RN