Nurse Updates

Dear Families,

We hope you have had a great and healthy start to the school year.

Below you will find information on the following:

• Our Health Staff
• Health Topics
• Pertussis (whooping cough) - this is a repeat from last month but we are continuing to see rising number around us so we want to make sure our families are aware of it
• Please remember to contact your child's school office if they were tested for pertussis, keep them home until they receive their test result back, and notify the school office or myself of the results
• Diabetes (November is American Diabetes Month)
• Stock Medications at Middle School and High School
• Illness Protocol
• Medications at School
• COVID Guidance

Thank you!

Nicole Wollert

District Nurse

nicole.wollert@westfieldpioneers.org

There has been an increase in pertussis this year. Here is some general information about Pertussis.

• Spread/Transmission: Through inhalation of respiratory droplets from an infected person.
• Typical Symptoms: Early symptoms are runny or congested nose, low-grade fever, and mild/occasional cough. A rapid/uncontrolled cough can develop later in the illness.
• Treatment: Antibiotics.
• Prevention: Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent pertussis. There are two vaccines that protect against pertussis and also against other diseases. They are DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine used for children younger than 7 years old) and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine used for older children and adults).
• Return to School Criteria: Students who have been diagnosed with pertussis would need to stay home from school until 5 days after they started antibiotics or if no antibiotic treatment, 21 days after cough onset.

If your child has symptoms, we recommend contacting their doctor's office.

If your child was tested for pertussis and is waiting on the results (which usually takes a few days), they should remain out of school until the results are received.

If the result is negative, they may return to school.

If the result is positive, they may return to school after being on appropriate antibiotics for 5 days.

Please let your school office or our district nurse, Nicole, know if they were tested and also what the result is prior to sending them back to school.

We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to limit the spread of it so thank you in advance for your help.

For more information on Pertussis, please visit the WI DHS website https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/pertussis.htm or the CDC website https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/index.html

According to the American Diabetes Association and CDC, 38.4 million people, or 11.6% of the U.S. population, has diabetes as of 2021.

Here is some general information on diabetes:

• Types: there are three main types of diabetes - Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational.
• Type 1 Diabetes - occurs when the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas (that create insulin) and when enough beta cells are destroyed, the pancreas can't make insulin (or enough of it); insulin helps blood glucose enter the body's cells so that it can be used for energy so if there is not enough insulin, the blood glucose can not enter the cells and instead builds up in the bloodstream which causes high blood glucose.
• Type 2 Diabetes - occurs when the body does not use insulin properly (aka insulin resistance); at first the beta cells will make extra insulin to make up for it but over time, the pancreas can not keep up.
• Gestational Diabetes - occurs in pregnancy; it can happen even if there was no diabetes before pregnancy and it does not mean there will be diabetes after giving birth.
• Symptoms:
• Type 1 - symptoms can include frequent urination, feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry (even though you are eating), extreme fatigue, blurry vision, slow healing with cuts/bruises, and weight loss (even though you are eating more)
• Type 2 - symptoms can include frequent urination, feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry (even though you are eating), extreme fatigue, blurry vision, slow healing with cuts/bruises, and tingling, pain, or numbness in your hands/feet
• Gestational - often have no symptoms so testing is important for those at risk
• Risk Factors:
• Type 1 - family history and age (although it can occur at any age)
• Type 2 - family history, physically inactive, age of 45 or older, overweight, history of gestational diabetes
• Treatment:
• Type 1 - insulin
• Type 2 - healthy diet, weight loss, medications, and/or insulin

Resource: CDC Website and American Diabetes Association Website

As a courtesy, the School District of Westfield will offer stock (school supplied) Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen to middle school and high school students (ages 12 and over) while at school as needed during the current school year.

Parent/guardian consent is needed for students to receive these stock medications.

Stock medication will be administered as follows:

• Acetaminophen 500 mg tablet - One tablet every 6 hours for headache/pain
• Ibuprofen 200 mg tablet - One tablet every 6 hours for headache/pain

This consent covers occasional use only, and will be given at the discretion of the school nurse or designated school staff. Any student that requires any of the listed medications on a regular basis will be asked to provide their own supply of medication and will need a medication consent form filled out by the student's parent/guardian and physician. School supplied medications will not be given to students more than ten times during the school year. If your child reaches the tenth time, a letter will be sent home, alerting you that your child has depleted their doses for the school year.

School supplied medications will only be given to students during the school day; they will not be available on school sponsored trips, athletic events, or after school activities.

If your child has a fever over 100 degrees, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, your child should stay home from school. Your child may return to school when they have been free of fever/vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

Your child should also stay home from school if he/she has an unidentified rash or live head lice.

If your child has a rash, your child may return to school when their doctor recommends. Please provide a note to your child's school office from their medical provider indicating when they may return.

If your child has live head lice, he/she may return to school after they are treated as long as there are no longer any live lice.

Your child should stay home if he/she has an eye infection and is unable to avoid touching their eyes.

If your child has a communicable disease, please refer to this chart for guidance on when they may return to school.

If your child needs medication at school, please fill out a medication consent form (see below) and drop off the medication (in its original packaging) at your child's school office.

If it is an over-the-counter medication, such as Tylenol, etc, then only a parent/guardian signature is needed on the medication form.

If it is a prescription medication, then a medical provider's signature is also required.

A medical provider's signature would also be required if the dosage written on the form by the parent/guardian differs from the recommended therapeutic dose on the medication label.

We are not able to administer medications to students without a medication form completed. Students are not allowed to keep their own supply of medication in their lockers.

Exceptions to this are albuterol inhalers for students with asthma, glucagon for students with diabetes, and epinephrine for students with severe allergic reactions; a medication form still needs to be completed for these medications even if the student is carrying the medication themselves.

All other needed medication must be administered through the school office.

We are continuing to recommend families follow the CDC's guidance, which can be found here.

We are continuing to follow our illness protocol that we followed prior to COVID - if a student has a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, then they should stay home until they are free of fever/vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

If a student has multiple COVID-like symptoms (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle/body aches, new loss of taste or smell, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fever or chills), then they should contact their medical provider's office for guidance.

If a student tests positive for COVID or was in close contact with an individual who tested positive, the student should follow their doctor's guidance. Documentation from their doctor must be provided to the school office stating the student should be excused from school and their return date in order for the student's absence to be excused. Just as prior to COVID, student absences that occur without a doctor's note will be unexcused until proper documentation is provided.