A New School Year and H1N1

Below is important information from the CDC to assist you in keeping your child healthy during this new school year.

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person, especially when students are close to each other in a school setting.

Here are a few things you can do to help (it's common sense, but it is always good to have a simple review now and then):

Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.

Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.

Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.

Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

We certainly hope that your child will maintain a healthy school year, but please take heed to the precautions above to prevent possible infection.