Student Health Services

Students who demonstrate signs and symptoms of illness or a possible communicable disease should be referred to the school nurse’s office for further assessment. Those with an elevated temperature of 100 degrees or above, vomiting or with diarrhea must be isolated and sent home. The student must be fever free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before he/she can be allowed back in school. Those excluded due to vomiting or diarrhea must also be free of symptoms without the use of preventative medications before being allowed back in school.

Head lice, although not an illness or a disease, is very common among children and is spread very easily through head-to-head contact during play, sports, or nap time and when children share things like brushes, combs, hats, and headphones. Because lice spread so easily, the district will need to exclude any student found to have live lice until after one treatment of an FDA-approved shampoo or cream rinse, which can be purchased from a drug store or grocery store.

If careful observation indicates that a student has head lice, the school nurse will contact the student’s parent and inform the parent that the child will need to be picked up from school and will need to stay home until after an initial treatment is applied. After the student has undergone the treatment, the parent should check in with the school nurse to discuss the treatment used. The nurse can also offer additional recommendations, including subsequent treatments and how best to get rid of lice and prevent their return. More information on head lice can be obtained from the TDSHS website.

Caring for children with diagnosed food allergies at-risk for anaphylaxis in the school setting requires a collaborative partnership with the students, parents, healthcare providers and school staff. FBISD requests to be notified each school year when a student has been diagnosed with a food allergy, especially those allergies that could result in dangerous or life-threatening reactions either by inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact with the particular food. It is important to disclose the food to which the student is allergic, as well as the nature of the allergic reaction. Please contact the school nurse or campus principal if your child has a known food allergy or as soon as possible after any diagnosis of a food allergy. Flour Bluff ISD has a Food Allergy Management Plan in place to assist students who are identified with a serious food allergy. You may access this plan by calling your school nurse or campus principal.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Linda Barganski, Associate Superintendent for Student Services at 361-694-9230. See also board policy FFAF.

Guidelines and Procedures For SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF PRESCRIPTION ASTHMA MEDICINE OR ANAPHYLAXIS MEDICINE BY STUDENTS

According to SECTION I. Chapter 38, Sec. 38.013 of the Education Code, a student with asthma and/or anaphylaxis is entitled to possess and self-administer prescription asthma or anaphylaxis medicine while on school property or at a school-related event or activity, provided that certain criteria are met. In an effort to meet student needs and still maintain a safe environment with regard to medications in the school setting, the following procedures have been developed and incorporated into Administrative Regulation FFAC (LEGAL).

A form titled Parent/Physician Authorization for Self-Administration of Asthma Medication or Anaphylaxis Medicine by A Student, must be completed and kept on file with the campus nurse before a student can possess and self-administer his/her asthma or anaphylaxis medication.

All required documentation will be kept on file in the school clinic and must be renewed annually.

Teachers will be notified of those students in their class who have asthma or anaphylaxis medication in their possession.

Students who do not self-administer their medication in compliance with the prescription or written instructions from their physician, or fail to report to the campus nurse when relief is not obtained after using their medication as directed, will not be able to continue to possess his/her asthma or anaphylaxis medication and self-administer it for the remainder of the school year. Students may also be subject to other disciplinary action as written in the Student Code of Conduct.

Tips for Preventing the Spread of Flu

• • Avoid close contact with others who are sick or are beginning to display symptoms
  • Stay home if you feel sick and see a doctor as soon as possible
  • Fever of 100.0 must remain home and stay home for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication
  • Cover your mouth and nose with tissues when coughing or sneezing
  • Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with antibacterial soap to kill and avoid spreading germs
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth as germs and bacteria can enter this way and cause illness
  • Get your flu vaccine
  • Please notify your campus nurse if your student has been diagnosed by a physician with the flu. Please provide the type of flu, if known

*Please notify your campus nurse if your student has been diagnosed by a physician with meningitis. Please provide the type of meningitis, if known.

State law specifically requires the District to provide the following information:

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is most common and the least serious. Meningitis caused by bacteria is the most likely form of the disease to cause serious, long-term complications. It is an uncommon disease but requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death. Bacterial meningitis can be caused by multiple organisms. Two common types are Streptococcus pneumoniae, with over 80 serogroups that can cause illness, and Neisseria meningitidis, with five serogroups that most commonly cause meningitis.

Someone with bacterial meningitis will become very ill. The illness may develop over one or two days, but it can also rapidly progress in a matter of hours. Not everyone with meningitis will have the same symptoms.Children (over 1 year old) and adults with meningitis may have a severe headache, high temperature, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness, and drowsiness or confusion. In both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots. These can occur anywhere on the body.The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and laboratory results.

How serious is bacterial meningitis?

If it is diagnosed early and treated promptly, most people make a complete recovery. If left untreated or treatment is delayed, bacterial meningitis can be fatal, or a person may be left with permanent disability.

How is bacterial meningitis spread?

Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been. The germs live naturally in the back of our noses and throats, but they do not live for long outside the body. They are spread when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing; sharing drinking containers, utensils, or cigarettes) or when people cough or sneeze without covering their mouth and nose. The bacteria do not cause meningitis in most people. Instead, most people become carriers of the bacteria for days, weeks or even months. The bacteria rarely overcome the body’s immune system and cause meningitis or another serious illness.

How can bacterial meningitis be prevented?

Vaccination

Bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis may be prevented through vaccination. The vaccine which protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae is called pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or PCV. This vaccine is recommended by the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for children in the first year of life. Neisseria meningitidis is prevented through two types of vaccines. The first is a meningococcal conjugate vaccine which protects against four serogroups A, C, W, and Y and is referred to as MCV4. The second is a vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B and is referred to as MenB. The ACIP recommends MCV4 for children at age 11-12 years, with a booster dose at 16-18 years. In Texas, one dose of MCV4 given at or after age 11 years is required for children in 7th-12th grades. One dose of MCV4 received in the previous five years is required in Texas for those under the age of 22 years and enrolling in college. Teens and young adults (16-23 years of age) may be vaccinated with MenB. This vaccine is not required for school or college enrollment in Texas.
Vaccines to protect against bacterial meningitis are safe and effective. Common side effects include redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days. Immunity develops about 1-2 weeks after the vaccines are given and lasts for five years to life depending on vaccine.

Healthy Habits

Do not share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes. Wash your hands. Limit the number of persons you kiss. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Maintaining healthy habits, like getting plenty of rest and not having close contact with people who are sick, also helps.

Who is at risk for bacterial meningitis?

Certain groups are at increased risk for bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis. These risk factors include HIV infection, travel to places where meningococcal disease is common (such as certain countries in Africa and in Saudi Arabia), and college students living in a dormitory. Other risk factors include having a previous viral infection, living in a crowded household, or having an underlying chronic illness.

What should you do if you think you or a friend might have bacterial meningitis?

Seek prompt medical attention.

For more information your school nurse, family doctor, and the staff at your local or regional health department office are excellent sources for information on all infectious diseases. You may also call your family doctor or local health department office to ask about meningococcal vaccine.