Important Health Information

Published August 16, 2012

With the school year is underway, now's a good time to remind parents of two specific health concerns.

Bacterial Skin Infections

Parents should pay close attention to all skin wounds.  If a child has a wound that is open and not healing, or a closed-over wound that is not open but may be discolored and is not getting smaller, they should see their school nurse.

Parents can usually tell if a wound is not healing if it either remains the same or is larger about a week from when it was first noticed.  Different types of infections can be present in wounds, but parents should be aware of the possibility of bacterial skin infections that could be present in wounds as well as how the infections can be spread to other open places on the child’s body or other people who may be in close contact with these wounds.

To find out more information about skin infections like MRSA, along with what should be done if skin wounds are not healing properly, go to the HEALTH SERVICES WEBSITE or the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL website.

Head Lice

Another back to school health issue that we would like to remind you about is head lice.  It is always the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to check their child for the presence of head lice and their eggs/nits, especially when a child is scratching his or her head a lot and complaining of an itchy scalp. 

Parents should perform the appropriate treatments, seek medical attention when necessary, and report this to their school nurse and/or principal.  The school nurse is always available to assist in examining a child for the presence of head lice and to provide parents with information/resources for the various available treatments.

Additional information on head lice can be found on both the HEALTH SERVICES website and the CDC WEBSITE.