Click here for Edmonds School District Health Services page. This link has information on nurse's schedules and most importantly health forms.

A Note From the Nurse About …… Summer Safety!

Looking ahead to summer fun, here are some tips to keep your children safe and still have fun in the sun!

Heat Safety - Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids when they're playing in hot weather. You can be dehydrated even if you don't feel thirsty. Symptoms of heat distress are headaches, nausea, dizziness and muscle cramps. If your child displays these symptoms, take them to a cool area and have them sip cool drinks.
Water Safety - Never leave your young child alone near a pool. Older children should never swim alone. Don't rely on "floaties" to keep your child safe in deep water and always wear a life vest when boating.
Playground Safety - Check that the area around playground equipment over 7 feet high is well padded with wood chips, mulch or shredded rubber. Inspect the equipment for open hooks or sharp edges that may cause injury. Check that metal slides are not too hot before kids use them.
Bike Safety - Be sure your child wears a helmet every time they use their bike. Supervise children riding bikes on the street to be sure they are easily visible and have them practice with you how to safely move to the closest side of the street when cars come near.
Skateboard Safety - Children should not ride in traffic. Be sure your child wears their helmet and protective gear for elbows and knees. Look for skate board parks for safe areas to board.
Lawn Mower Safety - Clear the area to be mowed of stones or toys to prevent injuries from flying debris. Children under 12 should not use lawn mowers or ride on mowers as a passenger. Be sure those using mowers are wearing sturdy shoes - not sandals or sneakers. Look for mowers with controls that keep the mower from moving forward if the handle is released.
Bug Safety - Avoid scented soaps, etc that attract stinging insects. If your child is stung, scrape the stinger with a credit card or fingernail and apply ice to the sting to reduce swelling. If your child has stings in the mouth or more than 10 stings contact your doctor. If your child has difficulty breathing, swallowing or talking after a sting, Call 911. The maximum safe concentration of DEET in insect repellant for children is 30%.
Stranger Safety - Be sure your child tells you where they are going and teach them to use the buddy system. Don't allow your child to use a public restroom alone. Make sure your child knows not to reveal to a stranger if they are alone at home. Avoid having your child wear items with their name on them - children tend to trust people who can call them by name.
Sun Safety - Children less than 6 months of age should not be exposed to direct sun - their risk of sunburn is much higher than older children. Sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater applied 30 minutes before going outside and reapplied every 2 hours will reduce the risk of sun damage for everyone.

Have fun, stay safe and we'll see you September 5, 2006!!

Katie Johnson, RN, BSN - School Nurse for Madrona, Oak Heights and Westgate
JohnsonKA@edmonds.wednet.edu 425-431-1074

If your child needs medication at school next year, be sure to have doctor's signed orders for medications returned in August so we can properly prepare staff to help your child.

Your mom was right - you need your "beauty sleep," and kids need a healthy
amount of sleep to grow both physically and mentally. In fact, adequate sleep is directly related to a child's proper mental and physical development. The National Sleep Foundation reports that in the period of sleep known as "Non-Rapid Eye Movement" (NREM) or "quiet sleep" "blood supply to the muscles is increased, energy is restored, tissue growth and repair occur and important hormones are released for growth and development." Sleep experts tell us that the parts of the brain used in learning and thinking are helped during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Poor sleep has been linked to a greater risk of learning problems, memory problems, poor school performance, daytime sleepiness and even hyperactivity. School aged children need 10 - 11 hours of sleep a night!

Tips for sleep success:

• Avoid exercise right before bed.

• Avoid "screen time" just before bed and don't have a TV, video games or computer in your child's room. Sleep experts tell us that too much excitement just before bed can interfere with good sleep and a TV or computer in the room might be too tempting for your child to resist if they don't fall asleep quickly.

• Avoid sending your child to bed as a punishment - have their bed be a safe, stress free place where they are comfortable falling asleep.

• Avoid caffeine - especially in the 5 - 6 hours before bedtime.

• Help your child establish a regular bedtime and pre-bed routine to help them prepare to fall asleep. A good routine might include warm bath, a light nutritious snack, brushing teeth, a bedtime story and quiet, calming conversation before
being tucked into bed.

• Sleep experts stress that a cool, dark and quiet room supports natural sleepiness. Receptors in the brain react to temperature, light and darkness to promote sleep.

Experts advise parents to avoid teaching their infant to need a parent's presence to fall asleep by putting them to bed while they are still awake but drowsy. This helps them develop as "self soothers" and learn ways to fall asleep independently. Infants who get used to their parent being with them as they fall asleep will need that support when they wake in the middle of the night also.

If your child often has difficulty falling asleep, is often sleepy or groggy during the daytime or is hard to wake in the morning, they may have a sleep problem that their doctor can help them with. Children who often snore loudly during sleep or who gasp or choke during sleep might also need a sleep evaluation by their doctor. There are a number of fun web sites for kids to help them learn about the importance of sleep and good sleep habits:

http://www.sleepforkids.org/
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/starslp/index.htm

For more information on sleep and promoting healthy sleep habits see the following:

http://www.sleepfoundation.org
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/105/107660
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/117/112649.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sleepdisorders/htm/_no_50_no_0.htm

Katie Johnson, RN, BSN JohnsonKA@edmonds.wednet.edu
School Nurse for Madrona Non-Graded, Oak Heights and Westgate Elementary

Immunizations!

Our shots - kids hate them; parents overlook them. The truth is we're lucky to be able to easily protect our children from serious childhood illnesses with immunizations. In fact, Washington State law requires that children be up-to-date on several immunizations in order to attend school.

Letters have been sent to those students who are not in compliance with this important health law. Please help us in our effort to manage these diseases by quickly returning dates of your child's immunizations or by obtaining the shots your child needs to stay healthy and be able to attend school. Immunization information can be obtained from the school nurse at 425-670-7313 ext. 1074 or the Snohomish County Health Department at 425-778-3522 or http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/immunize.

Thanks!

Katie Johnson, RN
School Nurse
425-670-7311 x1074

A Note from the Nurse about - The Flu

Flu - also known as Influenza - is a contagious disease with symptoms that tend to come on suddenly. These symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches.

It is spread when someone with the flu coughs, sneezes or speaks, sending the virus into the air where it is inhaled and makes that person ill. It can also be spread when someone touches a surface that has flu viruses on it - a doorknob, for example - then touches their nose or mouth. Our unbroken skin protects us from germs and viruses, but mucous membranes in our mouth, nose and eyes are open to infection by viruses and germs.

People are contagious from a day before they show symptoms to about seven days after.

Antibiotics are not effective against flu viruses, but the following will help your body fight the virus:

· Rest - stay at home to prevent the spread of the flu and to allow your body to heal

· Fluids - your body burns a lot of fluids while your temperature is elevated. Drinking
water, juices, clear soups or sports drinks helps to replace those fluids and help your body heal.

· Medications - as recommended by your health care provider can relieve symptoms of the flu. It is very important to avoid using aspirin for children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms. A rare, but serious disease called Reye's syndrome can be caused when aspirin is given to children or teenagers with flu symptoms.

· HANDWASHING, HANDWASHING, HANDWASHING - People who wash their hands frequently tend to avoid becoming ill with the flu and other contagious illnesses.

For more information on the flu see the Center for Disease Control website - www.cdc.gov .

Katie Johnson, RN, BSN
School Nurse for Oak Heights, Westgate and Madrona

Be a germ stopper! Check out how you can prevent the spread of germs at Center for Disease Control & Prevention. Print out a copy of the Germ Stopper flyer.

A Note From the Nurse About ….. Attention Issues

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are health conditions that can significantly interfere with a student's ability to be successful at school. The student with AD/HD is the child who is always on the go, while ADD students tend to be quiet and "in their own world". The disorders interfere with a student's ability to focus, block distractions, control impulses and with ADHD - control motor activity.

ADHD & ADD are the most common and thoroughly studied childhood conditions, affecting from 3 - 10% of children. Identifying and treating ADD & ADHD has been the subject of numerous studies for over 40 years, and Ritalin, a stimulant medication commonly used to treat ADD & ADHD, has been around since 1933.

You may wonder how a stimulant helps kids who can't sit still. You would expect stimulants to make hyperactive kids' behavior worse. Brain imaging studies have shown that there is less activity in the frontal lobes of people who have AD/HD and ADD. Our frontal lobes control our ability to pay attention, manage behavior and maintain focus. Researchers have found a link between these conditions and low levels of special brain chemicals called dopamine and norepinephrine. Stimulant medications act like these neurochemicals to "fire up" the frontal lobes of the brain allowing the student to pay attention, sit still and complete their work.

In fact, studies have shown that children with AD/HD who are not treated for their condition have a higher risk of poor performance in school, injuries and alcohol or substance abuse. Studies show that treating attention problems lowers the risk of substance abuse.

To diagnose ADD or ADHD, doctors ask parents and teachers to fill out behavior rating scales. These ratings look at what the student's behavior has been for more than six months and in more than one place - at school and home or with friends - and give the physician the information necessary for a diagnosis. A trial of medication and its impact on behavior is often used to determine the proper treatment. Parents and teachers also need to add behavior management strategies to help the student take advantage of their improved ability to control behavior and pay attention.

More information on ADD and AD/HD can be found at www.nimh.nih.gov and www.chadd.org or feel free to contact me at 425-670-7311 x 1074.

Katie Johnson, RN, BSN
School Nurse for Madrona, Oak Heights and Westgate Elementary

Seeing well has a huge impact on a student's school performance and students are often not aware of a gradual loss in their vision. For these reasons, Washington State has mandated that schools check students' vision in elementary school and notify parents or guardians if they cannot see at least 20/30 in each eye. Parents can then have their child examined by an eye professional to see if glasses or corrective lenses are needed.

Screening will be done at our school on Wednesday, September 22nd. Please have your child wear their glasses or corrective lenses on that day.

If a problem is noted with your child's vision, a referral letter will be sent home. If you receive one, please have the eye doctor fill out the screening form and return it to the school.
Students who were absent for the screening or who need an additional re-screening, will be notified by their teacher of the next screening date.

If you have any questions or concerns about vision screening or your child's health, please contact me.

Thank you,
Katie Johnson, RN, BSN
425-670-7744 x 1074.

Medication At School

Here's a friendly reminder about the procedure to follow if it is essential that a student receive medication during school. Because dispensing medications to children is such an important responsibility, Edmonds School District Policy and state regulations require that staff administer medications (even over the counter medications like Tylenol or Advil) ONLY under the following conditions:

1. Authorization for Administration of Oral Medication at School (form # H-145) completed and signed by a licensed health professional is on file at school. Instructions must be specific and not depend on school staff judgment.

2. Give your permission to administer the medication by signing the Authorization form at the bottom.

3. Provide medication in a container with the original label from the licensed health professional or pharmacist. The label must have

If you have questions about medications at school or your child's health, please feel free to contact me at 425-670-7311 x1074.

Katie Johnson, RN