Doretha James, RN School Nurse Administrator Of The Year!

Congratulations to Doretha James, RN.  She was awarded the title of Alabama's School Administrator Nurse of the Year.  We are so proud of your accomplishment. 

Thanksgiving Day is National Family History Day. A family health history helps identify people who may be at a higher risk for some diseases because it reflects risk factors that family members share, like genes, environment, and lifestyle. Take a few minutes to know your family health history

• Start a family health portrait today.
• Update your family health portrait as you learn about family members’ diseases and conditions.
• Share your family health portrait with other family members. Encourage them to create one, too.

Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Be Smoke-Free

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers and those around them. Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term benefits for you and your loved ones. Take a few minutes to make the decision to be smoke-free.

• If you smoke, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) or your doctor or nurse for help in quitting.
• Avoid secondhand smoke. Stay away from other people’s smoke.
• If you’re pregnant, choose not to smoke.
• Choose restaurants and businesses that are smoke-free

Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Check Alarm Batteries

Everyone should have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in their homes. Take a few minutes to ensure your alarms will sound in an emergency.

• Install a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector near bedrooms.
• Check or change the batteries to your carbon monoxide detectors at least twice a year.

Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Keep Foods Safe

To help protect yourself and others from foodborne illness, take a few minutes to ensure foods are safe.

• Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Bacteria can grow quickly at room temperature, so refrigerate leftover foods if they are not going to be eaten within 4 hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry and before they touch another food.
• Wash produce before you eat it.
• Take a few extra minutes to make sure meat, poultry, and eggs are cooked thoroughly.
• Report suspected foodborne illnesses to your local health department.
• Check foodsafety.gov , your gateway to federal food safety information.

• Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home.
• Test smoke alarms monthly to ensure they work properly. For smoke alarms that use regular alkaline batteries, replace the batteries at least once a year. For smoke alarms that use lithium (long-life) batteries, replace the entire alarm unit every ten years or sooner if it chirps or stops working.
• Make a disaster plan. Know where to meet other family members in case of an emergency, such as a fire.

Guidelines For Keeping A Sick Child At Home

"NASN Guidelines For Keeping A Sick Child At Home

Should I keep my child home or send him or her to school? Consider keeping your child home if he or she: • Has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher • Has been vomiting • Has symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school, such as: − Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite − Productive coughing, sneezing − Headache, body aches, earache − Sore throat A minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache and stomach upset. Contact your pediatrician as your child needs a special test to determine if it is strep throat. Keep your child home until his or her fever has been gone for 24 hours without medication. Colds can be contagious for at least 48 hours. Returning to school too soon may slow the recovery process and expose others unnecessarily to illness.

Does my child have the flu? • The flu is serious! Call your pediatrician at the first sign of flu symptoms, which typically come on suddenly, including: − High fever − Chills − Head ache, body aches, ear ache − Nausea, vomiting − Dry cough If you’re unsure about the best way to treat your child’s cold or flu, ask your school nurse, doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. How do I make my child feel better? • Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and put limits on TV watching • Encourage fluids; like water, soup, juice and ice • Help your child relax by reading him a story and giving him plenty of TLC • Consider using a cool humidifier • When used as directed, children’s cough and cold medicines help relieve cough and cold symptoms while your child is getting better. Read and follow the directions carefully and give the exact recommended dose for the child’s age. Do not use over the counter cough and cold medications for children under the age of four in the U.S.

How can I prevent my child from getting a cold? • Teach your child to wash his or her hands frequently using plenty of soap and warm water. Proper hand-washing should take about 20 seconds or the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice • Teach your child to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their sleeve • Keep the child’s environment tobacco free • Try to minimize the time your child spends with other children who have cough or cold symptoms • Pack easy-to-use products like disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers in your child’s backpack to use when he or she is at school • Keep an annual well-child exam to follow changes in your child’s health • Keep all of your child’s immunizations up-to-date (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines now recommend a flu vaccine for most children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday) • Serve a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Giving a daily vitamin may be recommended by your pediatrician • After your child is feeling better, clean all surfaces; wash the bedding and air out the room • Keep surfaces like door knobs, phones, remote controls, toys, and keyboards clean • Always make sure to consult your school nurse or doctor if you have any questions