Student Health
Good health is an essential element of sound education and productive living. The purpose of the school health program is to maintain, improve and promote the health of the school-age child in the educational setting. Please feel free to contact the school nurse regarding health concerns for your child.
School Nurse: Suzanne Huguely, RN
Hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Telephone: 301-983-5744
Is Your Child Too Sick For School?
Here are a few guidelines you might want to follow during the cold and flu season:
A runny nose is the way many respond to pollen, dust, chalk or simply a change of season. If it isn’t the common cold, then it is probably an allergy. Don’t stay home from school.
A bad cough or cold symptoms can indicate a severe cold, bronchitis, flu or even pneumonia. A run-of-the-mill cold should not be a reason to miss school. But if your child is not acting right, has a fever, difficulty breathing, or is becoming dehydrated, it could be serious. Check with your doctor right away.
Diarrhea and vomiting make children very uncomfortable. If your child has repeated episodes of diarrhea and vomiting, accompanied by fever, rash or general weakness, consult a doctor and stay out of school until the illness passes.
Fever is an important symptom; when it occurs along with a sore throat, nausea, listlessness or a rash, your child could be carrying something very contagious. Most doctors advise parents to keep children home during the course of a fever and for an additional 24 hours after the fever has passed.
Strep throat and scarlet fever are two highly contagious conditions caused by a bacterial infection. They usually arrive with a sore throat and high fever. From 12 to 48 hours after the onset of scarlet fever, a rash will also appear. If you have either strep throat or scarlet fever you should stay home and be treated with antibiotics, as prescribed by a doctor. After 24 hours on an antibiotic, your child may return to school, with doctor permission.
If your child is treated for a contagious condition such as strep throat, conjunctivitis, infectious mononucleosis, head lice, etc., please inform the school nurse as soon as possible. Call also if you have any questions regarding the above information.
If your children wake up not feeling well and/or with a temperature, please keep them home. Not only are they not at their best to learn, but they might very well infect their peers and teachers. A good general rule is to have them return to school if there has been no fever in the preceding 24 hours. If your child has seen a doctor, please get instructions on when your doctor feels it is appropriate, based on the illness and treatment, to return to class. If your child is treated for a contagious condition such as strep throat, conjunctivitis, infectious mononucleosis, head lice, etc., please inform the school nurse as soon as possible.
Interesting Websites
The Bullis school nurse, Suzanne Huguely, has found many of these sites to be informative. Bullis cannot, however, vouch for the accuracy of all of the information.
Allergy and Asthma
www.foodallergy.org — Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
www.peanutallergy.com — Products and information related to peanut allergies
www.schoolasthmaallergy.com — Information regarding allergies and asthma for school-age children.
www.aafa.org — Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
www.asthma.about.com — General information about asthma
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/naepp — National Asthma Education Prevention Program
www.aanma.org — Allergy and Asthma Network
Cancer
www.cancer.gov
www.cancer.org — Focuses on cancer-related topics, including the latest information regarding prevention, treatment and recovery
Drug and Alcohol
www.TheAntiDrug.com — Web site for parents
www.Freevibe.com — Web site for youth
www.mediacampaign.org — Web site for everyone
www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov — Web site for everyone
www.HelpYourCommunity.org — Web site for everyone
www.FindTreatment.SAMHSA.gov — Web site for everyone
www.projectghb.org — Web site regarding “date rape” drugs
Emergency Prep/Pandemic Flu
www.ready.gov — Web site for Emergency Preparedness
www.pandemicflu.gov — Web site for Pandemic Flu information and preparedness
Family
www.family.org — Focus on the Family
www.npin.org — National Parent Information Network
www.tnpc.com — National Parenting Center
Head Lice
www.headlice.org
www.pediculosis.com
www.projectlinks.org/pediculosis — Provides many links to other sources regarding lice
Health
www.cdc.gov — Center for Disease Control
www.ems-c.org — Emergency Medical Services for Children
www.healthfinder.gov — General Health
www.intelihealth.com — General Health
www.medhelp.org — Specialty Health
www.fda.gov — Good and Drug Administration
www.mayoclinic.com — General Health information from the Mayo Clinic
www.kidshealth.org/kid — General Children’s Health Web site for children
www.kidshealth.org/teen — General Children’s Health web site for teens
www.kidshealth.org/parent — General Children’s Health web site for parents
www.dr.koop.com
www.kidgrowth.com — Children’s Health
Heart
www.americanheart.org — American Heart Association
Influenza
Medications
www.drugs.com
www.homepathic.com
www.rxlist.com
Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov — National Institute of Mental Health
Nutrition
www.5aday.com
www.mypyramid.gov
Safety
www.safekids.org — Web site geared toward providing a safe environment for children
www.cpsc.gov — Consumer and product safety
