Flu Vaccination 2018: this is a consent form for your child to receive a flu shot here at the school. We will need this back ASAP so the HealthHub can provide the right quantity of the vaccine. The schedule date for the flu shot is October 30, 2018.
Notes from the nurse:
Over the past few weeks I’ve been seeing itchy rashes in the health office. The wonderful part of living in Vermont is that the beautiful outdoors is literally in our back yards. On the down side is that we’re at risk for various itchy rashes.
Poison Ivy is found throughout Vermont and particularly thrives along roadsides and at the edge for fields and woods. The oils from the leaves, roots and vines for some people cause a contact dermatitis causing blisters and itching. Its a common myth that when blisters pop, that the rash can spread. A rash appears only where skin has had contact with oils from the leaves. Sometimes if people get oils on their hands, they spread it to other parts o their body. The best prevention is to learn what a poison ivy plant looks like so you can avoid contact. If you think you’ve had exposure, wash exposed skin with soap and water or product like Tecnu to remove the oils.
Ticks have become prevalent in Vermont and particularly hang out at the edge of fields and woods. Many ticks are carriers of tick born illnesses, particularly lyme disease. The symptoms of lyme disease include a bull’s eye rash (about 50% of the time), generalized rash, flu-like symptoms or an achy joint. The incubation period is 3-30 days. Over the past several years there’s increasing occurrence of anaplasmosis with an incubation period of 1-2 weeks with flu-like symptoms, achy joints, headache and cough. There’s other tick born illnesses with rare occurrence in Vermont. Treatment for tick born diseases is an antibiotic.
The best prevention is to avoid a tick bite by wearing pants tucked in socks so that ticks can’t crawl up your legs and/or to wear insect repellent with DEET. Every night before bed, do a tick check. (The nymphs are poppy seed size). Ticks lodged in the skin should be removed with tweezers and takes 24 hours for a tick to be attached for infection to be transmitted. Its not uncommon for a dime sized localized reaction from a tick bite.
Chiggers used to be a warm weather pest, but have migrated to colder climates. They are tiny mites, residing in tall grasses and the edge of woods where it’s moist. They do not burrow under the skin or attach to it. They crawl to skin folds or conforming clothing so they don’t fall off. Chiggers bite the skin causing a localized red, itchy rash. Chiggers do not carry diseases. The itchy rash can last 1-2 weeks. Benadryl or calamine lotion can help reduce the itchiness. The best prevention is to avoid a mite bite by wearing pants tucked in socks so that ticks can’t crawl up your legs and/or to wear insect repellent with DEET. Wash with soap and water after being in the woods to remove any mites.
Impetigo is a secondary infection caused staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria and prevalent throughout the environment. People’s skin acts as a barrier to becoming infected, but when there’s a break in the skin such as from scratching, the bacteria can enter and cause an infection with commonly symptoms of honey-like crusting and what appears like patchy scabs. Treatment is a prescription antibiotic. Prevention is avoid scratching, which is hard to do, but calamine lotion or covering over the rash with a bandaid or wrap can minimize the scratching.
Jill Lloyd-SES School Nurse