Health & Wellness

 

MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES IN SCHOOL CHILDREN  |  The Texas Health Safety code provides for unlicensed diabetes care assistants to be trained to assist school children who need help with their diabetes management while at school or participating in a school activity. If a school nurse is assigned to a campus and is available, then the nurse shall assist the student with diabetes. If a nurse is not available, an unlicensed diabetes care assistant shall help with student only if the parent or guardian of the student signs an agreement that authorizes the assistant to assist the student. School children with diabetes are allowed to self-manage their own diabetes, if capable. The law provides immunity from liability for school employees and school nurses.

 

 

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION AT SCHOOL  |  Often, students have to take a prescription and/or over the counter medications at school for a certain period of time as treatment for a medical condition. Prescribed medication must come to school in the original pharmacy bottle, labeled correctly, with the instructions for dosage on it. This also includes inhalers. If medication is only given 1-3 times per day or time released, it can usually be given at home unless specific times are ordered by the doctor. Parents must sign a medication consent form before medication can be given at school. The parent’s written request must not conflict with the label instructions.

 

Any increase or decrease in dosage must be stated in writing by a physician until a new prescription bottle is provided. Otherwise, school personnel must administer medication as it is stated on the container label, or parents may choose to come to the school and dispense the medication to their student.

 

Over the counter medication must be purchased in the United States and it must be in its original container stating directions and dosage. If school personnel reading the label directions find that the medicine is contraindicated for that student, a parent must come to school and administer the medication (ex: if a student is younger that the recommended age on the label directions, school personnel cannot administer the medicine without a physician’s order).

 

If over the counter medication is given for three (3) consecutive days, a physician’s order is required.

 

Herbal or dietary supplements (including Hemp or CBD oil) will not be administered unless the medication will benefit the student’s educational achievement as stated in the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan and is prescribed by a physician.  

 

All medication must be turned in to the office upon arrival on the campus. We do not permit students to carry their own medications and self-administer without prior approval from the physician and the school nurse. A student with asthma or severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may be permitted to possess and use prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication at school and school-related events only if he or she has written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed health-care provider.  Self-administration must be done in compliance with the prescription or written instructions from the student's physician or other licensed health care provider.

 

The student must also demonstrate to his or her physician or health-care provider and to the school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device required to administer the medication.  The physician’s statement must be kept on file in the office of the campus the student attends. A person standing in parental relation to a student or the student himself, if over the age of 18, may give permission to use an asthma inhaler under these guidelines.

 

Only designated employees may administer prescription medication, non-prescription medication, and herbal or dietary supplements to students. Exceptions apply to the self-administration of asthma medication (with the physician and parents consent), medication for anaphylaxis (e.g., EpiPen®), and medication for diabetes management, if the medication is self-administered in accordance with policy and procedures. A student who must take medication during the school day must bring a written request from his or her parent and the medicine, in its original, properly labeled container. Contact the school nurse for information on procedures that must be followed when administering medication to students. 

 

 

SAFETY TRAINING  |  School employees who serve as nurses, licensed health care professionals, head coach, or chief sponsor for extracurricular athletic activities, including cheerleading, sponsored or sanctioned by the school must maintain and submit proof of current certification or training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) issued by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or another organization that provides equivalent training and certification. Employees subject to this requirement must submit their certification or documentation to Human Resources in the Administration Office.

 

 

STAPH INFECTIONS  |  Most people have heard of terms like “staph infection,” “antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” and “MRSA” (pronounced mersa). Staphylococcal bacteria often referred to as “staph” are commonly occurring bacteria found on the skin, under fingernails, and in the noses of all people. Most staphylococcal species never cause infection. However, when infection does occur due to staph, Staphylococcus aureus—one of these species of staph—is usually the cause. While all people have some staphylococcus species on their skin and in their noses, only three or four people have S. aureus. Even if they have S. aureus on their skin or in their noses, most people are not ill. Since staph is spread primarily by direct (skin-to-skin) human contact or with direct contact to wound drainage of someone who is carrying or infected with the bacteria, anyone with a break in his or her skin is at risk.

 

“MRSA” stands for methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Initially, MRSA strains were resistant to the antibiotic methicillin, a form of penicillin. Now they are resistant to many antibiotics and are sometimes called “multi-resistant” S. aureus. MRSA is not the only antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Initially, infection with MRSA was associated with exposure to health care environments, such as hospitals. However, other MRSA strains have evolved that affect previously healthy persons who have not had contact with health care facilities. MRSA causes the same types of infections as S. aureus that is not resistant to methicillin; however, MRSA may be more difficult to treat and can be rapidly fatal.

 

Staph infections begin abruptly. Symptoms may include a large area of redness on the skin, swelling, and pain followed by a pustule or abscess, boils and carbuncles (red, lumpy sores filled with pus). If left untreated, staph can infect blood and bones, causing severe illness that requires hospitalization.

 

We cannot eliminate staph because it is everywhere. However, because staph is everywhere and has the potential to cause infection, everyone—not just health care workers—must be involved in prevention. Students and their family members should take the following precautions to help prevent skin infections:

 

Vision and hearing screening:

 

Spinal screening:

Girls are screened two (2) times: Age 10 (or fall semester of grade 5) and Age 12 (or fall semester of grade 7). Boys are screened one (1) time: Age 13 or 14 (or fall semester of grade 8). TLCA provides spinal screening to all students in the 6th and 9th grades.

 

 

STUDENT ILLNESS OR INJURY AT SCHOOL  |  We will attempt to promptly notify the parent or guardian (or a person you have authorized us to notify) if we have knowledge that your child has been injured or becomes ill at school. We will call the parents/guardians in medical emergency situations and will also call for emergency assistance.  We cannot and will not use public funds to pay individual student medical expenses.

 

Texas Leadership holds a supplementary STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE POLICY which covers student accidents on school grounds or at school sponsored functions. This policy is secondary or supplementary to the student's primary insurance policy.

 

 

Acanthosis Nigricans

Acanthosis Nigricans (AN) serves as an indicator of Risk for Type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems. All students in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades are screened for acanthosis nigricans. Parents may exclude their child from the screenings by providing the school in advance with written notification or the results of a screening done by a medical doctor.  If the exclusion is due to religious reasons, the religious affiliation of which the student attends is required to submit a notarized letter stating this screening is against their belief.

 

 

In accordance with the Texas Department of Health immunization schedule, recommendations and adopted by the Texas Board of Health and published in the Texas Register annually, a child or student shall show acceptable evidence of vaccination prior to entry, attendance, or transfer to a child care facility or public or private elementary or secondary school, or institution of higher education. Exclusions from compliance are allowable on an individual basis for medical contraindications, reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, and active duty with the armed forces of the United States. Children and students in these categories must submit evidence for exclusion from compliance as specified in the Health and Safety Code, 161.004(d), Health and Safety Code 161.0041, Education Code, Chapter 38, Education Code, Chapter 51, and the Human Resources Code, Chapter 42.

 

 

To claim an exclusion for medical reasons, the child or student must present a statement signed by the child’s physician, duly registered and licensed to practice medicine and state that in the physician’s opinion, the vaccine required is medically contraindicated or poses a significant risk to the health and well being of the child or any member of the child’s household. Unless it is written in the statement that a lifelong condition exists, the exemption statement is valid for only one year from the date signed by the physician.

 

To claim an exclusion for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, a signed affidavit must be presented by the child’s parent or guardian, stating that the child’s parent or guardian declines vaccinations for the reasons of conscience, including a person’s religious beliefs. This type of affidavit is only valid for two years. Affidavit MUST BE obtained by submitting a written request to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 West 49th Street Austin, Texas 78756 (Rule 97.62 Title 25 of the Texas Administrative Code).

 

For a student to be afforded Provisional Enrollment for the first thirty (30) days the following criteria must be met:

1. The student has an immunization record that indicates the student has received at least one (1) dose of each specified age appropriate vaccine.
2. The student is homeless or is in foster care
3. The student is a dependent of a person who is on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States and is transferring schools.

Should a student be admitted under Provisional Enrollment and office personnel or the school nurse find that a student has become delinquent, at the end of the thirty (30) day period, the parent will be contacted and given ten (10) days to provide the school with an updated record. If a parent fails to meet this deadline, the student will be excluded from school until an updated record is provided.

 

The ten (10) days given past the thirty (30) day Provisional Enrollment is a courtesy as Rule 97.66, Title 25 of the Texas Administrative Code, requires a student to be excluded from attendance should they become delinquent at the end of the thirty (30) day period, until an updated shot record is provided to the school.

 

Since many types of personal immunization records are in use, any document will be acceptable, provided a physician or public health personnel has validated it. The month, day, and year that the vaccination was received must be recorded on all school immunization records.