School Medical Policies
Immunizations
Children entering the Port Washington Public School are required by state law to have a physical examination by a New York State licensed physician. Immunizations required are MMR, DPT, Polio, Tine test for TB, Hepatitis B, and Chicken Pox. Physicals are mandated for children entering kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grades.
Emergency Information
Each child must have on file in the nurse’s office an Emergency Medical Form. It is important that you
provide two or more telephone numbers for emergencies, to ensure that the nurse can reach
someone if you are not home. Be sure to let the Health Office know if your work number or emergency
contact numbers change during the school year. Please choose emergency contact people who are
nearby and able to come for your child in the event that you are unable to come. We suggest that you
share your decisions with your child.
Medication
The School Nurse is not allowed to dispense any medications, including aspirin, Tylenol, and cough
medicine, without a written order from a doctor. This order must state the child’s name, medication,
dose and how often it is to be administered. If there are any side effects to the medicine prescribed, this
should also be noted. Medication sent to school with such an order should be properly labeled with the
child’s name and will be kept in the nurse's office and given at the appropriate time. This order must be
updated or renewed every school year that the medications are to be taken. When filling a prescription
for medication that your child will be taking during the school day, ask your pharmacist to provide you
with a small bottle, labeled like the regular prescription bottle, which you can then use to send the
appropriate amount of medication to school. Children are not allowed to carry any over the
counter medications in school (i.e., Tylenol, nose sprays, cough medicine, topical ointments, etc.).
What Constitutes an Illness?
- Temperature over 100° F.
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- Sore throat or stomach ache.
- Eye drainage, pus, or crust.
A child should be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school after an illness. Remember to call the School Nurse, at 767-5311, if your child has a contagious disease such as Chicken Pox, Strep Throat, Scarlet Fever, Lice, Ringworm, Scabies, Fifth Disease, Mononucleosis, or Influenza.
Tips for Preventing Lice
- Long hair should be tied back or braided.
- Check hair regularly under a bright light.
- Check behind the ears and at the nape of the neck for eggs.
- Be watchful of head scratching.
- Teach your child never to share a comb, hat or headband from another child.
Allergies
If your child has a severe allergy, please communicate this to the school nurse as soon as possible. If your child has a food allergy, your child’s teacher will send home a letter to parents in your child’s class informing them of the presence of a child with food allergies. As a school community, our policy is that birthdays are not celebrated with food items.
In the cafeteria, we provide an allergy free table when necessary. The classroom teacher makes sure the child does not eat alone. The children volunteer to eat at that table with the child with the allergy. They have been educated to know what they are eating and if it is safe to eat with the child.