NURSE'S
NOTES
Michelle Yeomelakis, RN
(978)694-6010
End of Year Health Newsletter
Give
Your Kids a Head start, Give Them Oatmeal for Breakfast.
DID YOU KNOW
THAT EATING BREAKFAST:
~ Can
improve speed in short-term memory tests?
~ Can improve alertness, mood, & calmness?
~ Can improve processing brainpower used for complex visual displays such as
puzzles?
~ Can help school children perform better in creativity test?
~ Can reduce feelings of stress?
Not only is
eating breakfast important, but what you eat for breakfast is also
important. A team of Tufts University psychologists did a study by giving
kids different breakfasts on different occasions and compared test results.
The kids were given oatmeal and milk one day and Cap’n Crunch cereal with
milk another day. The test results showed that the elementary school
students performed better after eating oatmeal than a high sugar cereal. The
students ages 9-11 showed improvements in spatial memory (puzzles, drawing,
geography and some technical skills used in math and science), while
students ages 6-8 listened better and scored higher on spatial memory.
Eating a breakfast of high fiber, whole grain foods such as oatmeal, can
help provide a slower and more sustained energy source and consequently may
result in cognitive enhancement, than eating a low fiber, high sugar
ready-to-eat cereal. When a low fiber, high sugar food is consumed, this
causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels which in turn causes a spike in
insulin levels. This spike in insulin levels is soon followed by a rapid
drop in blood sugar which leaves the body feeling hungry and craving more
sugar. Many scientists believe this “yo-yo” effect on blood sugar & insulin
levels is a key factor in the increased incidence of childhood obesity as
well as diabetes.
For more
information visit:
www.glycemicindex.com
-Journal of Physiology and Behavior,Vol 85, Issue 5, 2005, Pages
635-45
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COLD & FLU SEASON IS HERE
Frequent
hand washing is the best preventative measure for battling colds and
flu. Children should be reminded to cough into their sleeve at their
elbow. This helps to keep their hands clean and keeps air-borne
germs from spreading. |
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Hands should be washed:
· Before
you touch food.
· Before
you eat.
· After
you use the toilet.
· After
you sneeze or cough.
And
don’t forget the time-tested favorites of eating well, drinking
plenty of fluids and getting lots of rest. Remember, if your
child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, he/she needs to stay home
until they have a normal temperature (less than 100 degrees) for 24
hours.
Your child should
be dressed warmly every day (winter coat, hat, gloves/mittens, and
warm socks). We have been spoiled with our relatively warm Fall
weather, however, the children go outside for a 15 minute recess
every day. The only exception is if it is raining or snowing. There
are many occasions when the ground is wet at recess. Your child
should have an extra change of clothes available in his/her locker
in the event that they get wet at recess.
LOCKERS….. It is highly recommended that all
students keep an extra set of clothes in their locker.
Accidents Happen…. spilled milk at lunch, bloody noses, falling
in puddles at recess, etc. While these are not true health issues,
the children come to the nurse for help. Having an extra set of
clothes in a plastic bag or spare backpack will save time and
frustration from looking for a parent who may be unable to leave
work or doing errands.
Doctor’s Notes:
A
physician’s note is required for any child returning to school with
a cast, sling, fracture, sprains, etc. The note should state the
child’s activity limitations, if any, and when they may return to
full activity. These notes are shared with the classroom and
physical education teacher. They are then filed in the child’s
health record.
In addition........ Some illnesses requiring exclusion from school:
· Vomiting
or Diarrhea
· Fever
of 100o or above
·
Conjunctivitis
· Strep
Infection
· Flu
· Impetigo
· Head
Lice
·
Chicken Pox
Students returning to school after an illness must be Fever Free,
Symptom Free and/or on Antibiotics for 24 hours.
Common sense
should always prevail.
* Reminder: When calling your child in sick, please state the
type of illness for tracking purposes. |
BACKPACK SAFETY:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
·
Weight
– when filled,
should be no more than 15% of your child’s bodyweight.
·
Size
– should fit the size of your child.
·
Shoulder
Straps –
should be wide, padded, and adjustable. Both straps should be used at all
times.
·
Waist Belt
– should be present to help distribute weight more evenly.
·
Reflective
Material -
provides additional safety.
The
above information is meant as a guideline and is not intended to be
complete.
Comprehensive School Health Services
Mission Statement: The mission of the nurse’s office at the
West Intermediate School is to maintain school health for all aspects of
development, so every student will succeed in school – physically,
emotionally, intellectually & socially. In order to accomplish such optimal
wellness, we must develop a strong link between parents, school, community
resources and the school health office.
The role of the school nurse has been expanded to include:
·
Illness
assessment/referral and follow-up
·
First aid
treatment/routine and emergency
·
Infectious control
·
Environmental
health and safety
·
Health education
and consultation to students, staff and parents
·
Health counseling
·
Mandated screenings
·
Medication
administration
·
Case management of
children with special needs
·
Screening and
referral for mental health concerns
·
Emergency care
planning
·
You are strongly
encouraged to communicate any health concerns or developments to your school
nurse.
Together we can help your child succeed!
The new school year is
well underway, bringing new friends and unfortunately, new germs.
Prevention can be our best defense!
·
Clothing - Dress appropriately for our changing weather – layers
are the best idea. Layering your clothes, for example, allows you to remove
the sweater when you get warm, and then put it back on if you get chilly
again!
·
Head Lice - Teach your children NOT to share hats, hair
combs, brushes and scrunchies, as head lice love to move onto new heads and
homes. Check your children’s hair often for signs of infestation (little
beige eggs or brown bugs, or frequent scratching). Lice love clean heads.
They are as common as mosquitoes. There should not be any reason for
embarrassment if your child contracts head lice. If you have a concern,
please do not send your child to school on the bus.
·
Medication – If your child needs to take medication during the
school day, please follow the guidelines in your school handbook.
All medication must be
delivered to school by an adult.
Thank you in advance
for helping us provide a safe and healthy learning environment for the
coming year.
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