SPRING & SUMMER SAFETY TIPS

 

Playgrounds:  Injury facts – children who fall off climbing equipment, slides, and swings usually injure their face, head, or arms.  Safety check - preschool-age children shouldn’t be more than four feet off the ground.  Make sure surfaces are cushioned, equipment maintained, and no exposed bolts or open “s” hooks.

Heat exposure:  Illness facts - Children can develop heat exhaustion and become seriously dehydrated when in the hot sun for too long.  Symptoms include pale skin, dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.  Kids under four years old are especially at risk in high temperatures.  Safety check – Keep children indoors during heat waves.  Make sure they have plenty of fluids even if kids say they are not thirsty.  NEVER leave a child in a car, which can heat up quickly. 

Fireworks:  Injury facts – fireworks can cause serious eye injuries that lead to partial or complete blindness.  Sparklers can burn the skin and ignite clothing.  Safety check – Don’t use or let your children use or be around any fireworks, including sparklers.  Instead, visit a public display run by professionals.

Bicycles: Injury facts:  Kids often crash into obstacles or lose control of their bikes, but the most serious injuries occur when children are struck by cars. Safety check – Make sure your child wears a helmet every time they ride a bike.  It should be snug and level with the forehead.  Do not let children ride in the street before the age of 10, and teach riders to look both ways before crossing the driveway or streets.

Skateboards and Scooters:  Injury facts – head injuries and wrist fractures are a common occurrence.  Kids are most likely to get hurt when they are first learning to ride, ride too fast, or attempt tricks.  Safety check – Safety gear is a must!  Helmets, wrist guards, non-slip shoes, elbow pads, and knee pads should be worn, and no child under 5 years should use skateboards or scooters.

Lawn Mowers:  Too many tragic accidents happen when a child falls off a riding lawn mower or is accidentally run over.  Safety check – Keep all children far away from the mowing area.  Always look around the mower before putting into motion, especially when backing up.

Food Poisoning:  Illness facts – Bacteria grow quickly in perishable food that is left out too long.  Symptoms resemble stomach flu: nausea, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, fever and bloody stool.  Safety check – Make sure food is cooked thoroughly.  Wash your hands often, and never leave food out for more than an hour when it’s hot outside.  Store food in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice when outside at picnics and barbecues.

Always seek the advice from your own doctor regarding questions or issues you have regarding your own health or the health of others.

Have an active, fun, and safe summer – and treat your brain to a really good book!

 

COVID, Cold, Flu, or Allergy?

Treatment depends on which you have. A health professional can help you choose the best therapy.

Comparing Cold, Flu, Allergies, and COVID-19
Symptoms	Cold	Flu	Airborne Allergy	COVID-19
Fever	Rare	Usual, high (100–102 °F), sometimes higher, especially in young children); lasts 3–4 days	Never	Common
Headache	Uncommon	Common	Uncommon	Common
General Aches, Pains	Slight	Usual; often severe	Never	Common
Fatigue, Weakness	Sometimes	Usual, can last up to 3 weeks	Sometimes	Common
Extreme Exhaustion	Never	Usual, at the beginning of the illness	Never	Common
Stuffy, Runny Nose	Common	Sometimes	Common	Common
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes	Usual	Rarely
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes	Sometimes	Common
Cough	Common	Common, can become severe	Sometimes	Common, dry cough
Chest Discomfort	Mild to moderate	Common	Rare, except for those with allergic asthma	Common; can cause trouble breathing or persistent pain or pressure in the chest that calls for immediate emergency care
Loss of Taste or Smell	Rarely	Rarely	Rarely	Common
Treatment	Get plenty of rest. Stay hydrated. (Drink plenty of fluids.) Decongestants. Aspirin (ages 18 and up), acetaminophen, or ibuprofen for aches and pains	Get plenty of rest. Stay hydrated. Aspirin (ages 18 and up), acetaminophen, or ibuprofen for aches, pains, and fever Antiviral medicines (see your doctor)	Avoid allergens (things that you’re allergic to) Antihistamines Nasal steroids Decongestants	NIH has developed guidance on treatment of COVID-19, which is regularly updated. The FDA has approved one drug, remdesivir, to treat COVID-19.
Prevention	Wash your hands often. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold.	Get the flu vaccine each year. Wash your hands often. Avoid close contact with anyone who has the flu.	Avoid allergens, such as pollen, house dust mites, mold, pet dander, cockroaches.	Get the COVID-19 vaccine, recommended for everyone age 5 and older. Wear a mask in indoor public places. Avoid crowds. Wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Get tested if you think you might have COVID-19.
Complications	Sinus infection middle ear infection, asthma	Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening	Sinus infection, middle ear infection, asthma	Pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (fluid in lungs), sepsis, cardiac events (e.g., heart attack and stroke), multiple organ failure, inflammation of the heart, brain, or muscle tissue, death

Related Stories

 

Links

• Flu: NIH Health Information
• Flu.gov(link is external) (HHS)
• Common Colds
• Catching a Cold When It’s Warm
• Pollen
• Seasonal Allergies 

 Lice

At any time of year we get a few cases of lice. Adult head lice or their eggs (nits) are found in the hair, most often behind the ears and at the base of the neck. Head lice are most commonly spread by direct head-to-head contact with hair of other people who have head lice. Head lice are less commonly spread through contact with an infested person’s personal items, such as hair brushes and combs, hats, unwashed clothing, bedding or towels. Head lice are commonly spread within households. There are a number of effective treatments for head lice. Treatment for head lice usually consists of shampooing the hair with a medicated shampoo. Consult with your pediatrician for treatment of head lice. Head lice are certainly a nuisance, but they are not generally considered a health hazard. Head lice are not a health hazard or a sign of poor hygiene and are not responsible for the spread of any disease.

 

Screenings

Vision, hearing, blood pressure, and height/weight screenings have been completed. A note was sent home for students that had difficulty with any of the screenings. Please let us know if your child was seen by the eye doctor if your child recieved a note about their vision and the results of the exam. Because vision can affect learning, it is important that students who need glasses wear them while in school. If you need assistance in finding an eye doctor or financial assistance for glasses please let us know. Please let the nurse know the results of hearing evaluations if your child received a note regarding their hearing. Notices were also sent home regarding any deviations from the normal ranges in height, weight or blood pressure. Please be sure to bring these notes to your pediatrician so that these concerns can be addressed.  

 

 

If your child has outgrown their uniforms,

please consider donating them to our school.

Extra clothes come in handy for when

students fall in a puddle at recess or spill

water or milk on themselves at lunch. Thank you.

 

Judy Amorosa BSN RN CSN

Militza Santana BSN RN

P: 732-376-6082

F: 732-638-1031

 

 

 

 

Important Information

 

 

To view other health services offered by the Perth Amboy Public Schools, click here.