Health

Nurses New . . . Children entering grade 6 must meet State of New Jersey immunization requirements relating to hepatitis B vaccination.

As of September 1, 2001, all children born on or after January 1, 1990 and who are entering grade 6, shall be required to document receipt of the hepatitis B series.

Upon receipt of the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine, a child may be granted provisional admission, permitting them to remain in school while the series is completed within the allotted time frame.

All pupils must be in compliance with the New Jersey immunization regulations in order to remain in school, unless a child meets the criteria for receiving a medical or religious exemption from school officials.

Parents should consult with their child's healthcare professional to ensure that these required doses of vaccine have been given, are in the process of being given, or are scheduled to be started. Parents should make the necessary medical appointments with their child's medical professional in time to have the series started or completed by the first day of school in September. Those not in compliance will not be permitted to begin school until proper documentation is received.

If there is documentation of your child's administration of hepatitis B vaccine that is not on his/her health records in school, please have it sent or faxed to me.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this notice, please call me at 609-723-2479, press 1, and leave a message. Information may be faxed to 609-723-6112.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

Kathleen Patrizi, RN, School Nurse

Kathy Patrizi, R.N.

Parents are reminded to call the school nurse at 723-2479 (*824) between 8:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. anytime their child will be absent from school, or arrive late to school. Parents of a child who is absent from school and from whom we have not received notification will be contacted by the school nurse.

If it is necessary for your child to arrive late school, a parent must accompany the child to the office and sign the Daily Attendance Log.

LYME DISEASE
New Jersey is one of several states with a large population of “Deer Ticks”. These ticks are as small as the head of a pin and are found in woods, marshes, and grasses.

Lyme disease begins, typically, with a dot at the site of the deer tick bite and then expands to look like a bull’s eye. The infection is caused by a spirochete (bacerium) which the tick carries. Flu-like symptoms – headache, fever, fatigue, chills, nausea, muscle and joint pain, swollen glands – are common within 1 week to 1 month after infection. If untreated, it progresses to a second stage with arthritis symptoms, especially in the knee. Cardiac and neurological problems can be associated with the second and third stages. It is most important to consult with your healthcare provider as soon as you notice any of these symptoms.

PREVENTION IDEAS
1.      Keep as well covered as you comfortably can if you are in a wooded or grassy area.
      a.      Wear light-colored or white clothing.
      b.      Wear a hat.
      c.      Tuck pant legs into your socks.
2.      Use insect repellent recommended by your healthcare provider that is effective against “ticks”. Be sure to use according to instructions.
3.      Keep lawn mowed and trim brush near the home.
4.      Check yourself and children for ticks, especially in and around the ears, waist and thigh areas, legs, behind the knees, and the hairline and scalp.
5.      Remove the tick carefully and as quickly as possible: grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin (mouthpart of tick) and gently pull straight up. Be careful not to crush or squeeze the tick, as the body of the tick may contain the bacterium.
6.      If you are unable to remove the tick or remove part of it and leave part of it in the skin, see your healthcare provider for assistance. If the tick that you remove is a deer tick, also notify your healthcare professional.

Backpacks - Each school year, many children are putting themselves at risk for postural problems, early degenerative changes, nerve damage in the upper extremities, and chronic back and neck pain. They are doing this by carrying their backpacks incorrectly. A physical therapist on a recent Good Morning America segment offered the following recommendations for children using backpacks to transport books and other "necessities" to and from school.

	Carry no more than 10% of the body weight (examples: wt 75 lbs. - No more than a 7.5 lb. Backpack; wt. 100 lbs. - No more than a 10 lb. Backpack)
	Backpacks should be narrow and not wider than the body.
	Backpacks should be carried higher on the back. This can be accomplished by shortening the straps. When backpacks are carried low, all of the weight is pressured on the shoulders; when carried high, the weight is evenly distributed on the back.
	An ergonomically-designed backpack is recommended - this is one that has: padded shoulders angled shoulder straps compression straps to keep the load closer to the body waist belt
	Avoid carrying backpacks on one shoulder as this can lead to leaning over to the side and postural problems.
	When picking up a backpack, especially a heavy one, bend the knees and pick it up with 2 hands, not one hand flinging it over the shoulder.
	Be sure to carry necessities only and periodically discard those items no longer needed.
	How to tell if your child has a potentially serious back problem from their backpacks: leaning over with poor posture cannot pick backpack up complaints of pain redness or soreness of shoulder
Please monitor your child’s backpack as their back health depends on it. I will be performing periodic weight checks of backpacks and asking teachers to have backpack clean-outs when the children clean out their desks. I encourage you to do the same. Yours in good health, K Patrizi, RN School Nurse/ kpatrizi@springfieldschool.org

Nurse's Information

NJ FamilyCare -
Health coverage for uninsured children and adults in New Jersey
1-800-701-0710 www.njfamilycare.org

My responsibilities also include dispensing medication, teaching the students about all aspects of medicine and disease, hygiene, diabetic monitoring, nutrition, drugs, puberty, and caring for their bodies in a healthy manner. I also perform annual vision, hearing, blood pressure, height and weight screenings. In addition, I perform scoliosis screenings on students age 10 and above. I frequently work with parents on proper dispensing of their child's medication, proper diet and exercise, health concerns, and a variety of student issues.

I also coordinate health speakers and doctor visits for physical examinations, keep accurate records of all student visits to my office, and maintain up to date immunization records on all students in the school. I firmly believe that each and every student in our school deserves the best healthcare that can possibly be given.

My phone number is 609-723-2479 and press 1. I ask that you call this number if your child is going to be absent. If I do not answer, please leave a message and indicate if you would like a return call.

Please note that any child that is at home ill or sent home ill with a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, must be without these symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school. Any student being treated for a Strep infection must be on their medication for 24 hours before returning to school.

FYI - Medication may NOT be administered in school without a doctor's order and parent permission. This includes prescribed or over-the-counter medication. Please refer to the student handbook for other information concerning medication in school.

Please feel free to contact me for any concerns about your child. If I do not answer, I may be teaching Health class, but I will return your call.

		pediculosis (head lice)
		respiratory ailments (asthma)
		diabetic complications
		gastrointestinal disturbances
		contagious conditions