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Here are some tips to help you make it through the cold and flu season.  Also remember that it is common to get 7-12 colds per year, so you and your child are not alone in your suffering!

HOW TO KEEP FROM GETTING SICK:

You cannot catch a cold by going outside in the cold weather with wet hair or by not being dressed appropriately!  That is an old myth which is not based on facts.  Colds are spread by viruses, not bad weather.  The reason you may catch more colds in the fall and winter is because you’re spending more time indoors and have greater exposure to people who are infected.  

TIP: Wash your hands frequently, get your rest, and eat a balanced diet.  Don’t touch your face after contact with a sick person, as that helps the germs get near your mucus membranes (mouth, nose, eyes) and gives the germs a way to enter your body.  Also, don’t share drinking or eating utensils.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET SICK:

Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids.  Take over the counter medications to help treat symptoms, see below.

Some new prescription drugs can shorten symptoms caused by viruses, but must be taken in the first 24 hours of developing symptoms.

Check with your school nurse about your school’s policy about when to keep a child home from school.

WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR:

Any prolonged or severe symptoms including:  severe sore throat with a fever, persistent cough (especially if your child has asthma), fever over 102 degrees, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, a cough that produces bloody, thick green or brown phlegm. 

ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE BEST TREATMENT:

Antibiotics have no effect on cold viruses.  In fact, they often encourage vomiting and diarrhea, which are the last thing your child needs.  Unnecessary use of antibiotics also helps breed more resistant bacteria, so the antibiotics may not work as well when your child really needs them.

Never pressure health care workers to prescribe a “quick fix” antibiotic.

When antibiotics are prescribed, you should take the correct dosage for the entire period of time.  Call your doctor if you develop any rash or hives.

Never take anyone else’s medication.

Back to School Family Checklist

A great checklist provided by the NASN to help families begin school or transition back to school.

Oral Healthcare Information

State of Delaware Dental Resource Guide

Head Lice Facts, Information, and Policy

Head lice are small parasitic insects that live on the scalp and neck hairs of their human hosts. Head lice are not a health hazard or a sign of uncleanliness and are not responsible for the spread of any disease. Lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly. Head lice can occur in schools, especially among younger children. A frequent symptom of head lice infestation is scratching of the scalp. It is the position of both the National Association of School Nurses and the American Academy of Pediatrics that the management of lice should not disrupt the education process.
 
Children found with live head lice should be referred to their parents for treatment. On the day of diagnosis, the school nurse should contact the parent/guardian and inform the parent/guardian of the presence of live lice. Verbal and written instructions for treatment options should be given to the family of the student by the school nurse. Prompt and proper treatment should be advised. The child may remain in the classroom. There is no research data that demonstrates that enforced exclusion policies are effective in reducing the transmission of lice. School staff needs to ensure that student confidentiality is maintained and should not segregate or in any way embarrass the child. Nursing judgment may prevail in cases of extreme infestation, discomfort level of the child, or skin issues related to scratching.
Upon return to school after being treated, the school nurse should recheck the child’s head. The nurse will continue to work with the family to support treatment and prevent re-infestation. Because no disease process is associated with head lice, schools are not advised to exclude students when nits remain after appropriate lice treatment, although further monitoring for signs of re-infestation is appropriate.
 
The school’s efforts regarding lice should be limited to educating students, parents, and school personnel with up-to-date information. Unjustified actions include screening children for lice or nits, treating children at school, treating the school building, notifying parents of students who are not infected (such as sending letters to parents of classmates) and excluding from school children who are infested or presumably infested
 
Divulging the child’s medical condition to the teacher or principal, or to other students and their parents, would be unjustified and would violate confidentiality. Head lice may be an annoyance, but they are neither a serious medical problem nor a public health issue.