Kaler Elementary School - From Our Nurse

Kick the Soda Habit -PDF

Chickenpox exclusions are possible-PDF

Guide to the flu from the CDC -PDF

Public health alert - Norovirus -PDF

A letter from the state concerning Mumps -PDF

HAVING A SCHOOL ASTHMA PLAN IS A GOOD PLAN!

AH CHOO! COUGH, COUGH…Cold and flu season has arrived. Most children will be reaching for a box of tissues, but those with asthma will be reaching for their inhalers and their asthma plans.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood, affecting 1 in every 12 Maine children, and is a major cause of school absences. It is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs. The insides of the small airways get swollen and fill with mucus. The muscles around the airways tighten. This can cause coughing, wheezing and/ or shortness of breath. Many things can make asthma worse, including tobacco smoke, wood smoke, pet dander, dust mites, cold or hot weather, pollen, molds, some foods, and colds or infections in the lungs.

Those who have symptoms more than 2 times a week during the day or more than 2 times a month at night need 2 types of medicine. A controller used daily helps the inflammation, and a quick-relief medicine (which everyone with asthma should carry) is used for asthma flares.

People with asthma need a plan to help them manage their asthma. Those over 5 years old can use a peak flow meter to help them see how well air is moving out of their lungs. The asthma plan uses the numbers from the meter as well as symptoms to mark a green “good” zone, a yellow “caution” zone, and a red “stop and get help!” zone.

All students with asthma need an Asthma School Plan to help school staff know what to do. Make sure you and your child’s healthcare provider have filled out one of these school plans and that the school has a copy. You can get a copy of this plan from your school nurse’s office, your child’s doctor, or you can call the Maine Lung Association at 1-800-499-LUNG, or download a form from the website .

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Dear Parents/Guardian:

The primary role of School Nurses is to support student learning. We believe that healthy children are better learn­ers and our work is directed toward that end. The goal of school health services is to meet the acute and chronic health needs of all school age children. We see ourselves as advocates for children and health care partners with you, the parent. Together we can minimize the impact of both short term and long term illness on your child's atten­dance and learning. We collaborate with the Bureau of health to identify and prevent the spread of disease and perform the required Department of Education screening programs: Immunization, Vision, Hearing and Spinal.

Did you know that...

• Most school nurses work in more than one building.

• Most school nurses have over 500 children assigned to them.

• School nurses must delegate some tasks to unlicensed school personnel during the time we are not in a par­ticular school (minor, urgent first aide, medication administration etc)

How parents can help:

• Keep your child's school health information current.

• Please respond to health services requests immediately.

• Make sure emergency contacts are current throughout the year.

• Make sure someone is available by the phone at all times

• Teach your child good self care (handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, caring for minor cuts and scrapes, avoiding illnesses/infestations by not sharing food, drinks, or articles of clothing. We will reinforce the same at school.

• Make sure children start their day with breakfast.