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Clinic Hours: 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. |
Information on the Flu for Students and Parents (English
and Spanish versions)
MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus)
What You Need to Know
Recently, a lot of attention has been focused on MRSA in school settings, which raises a lot of questions about what it is and its cause.
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria normally found on the skin or in the nose of 20 to 30 percent of healthy people. When it's present without causing symptoms, it's called colonization. It is called an infection if symptoms are present.
Community-associated MRSA (or CA-MRSA) has been on the rise since the late 1990's. While MRSA, a strain of staph resistant to methicillin (an antibiotic in the penicillin class) is traditionally seen in people that have been recently hospitalized or had medical procedures, CA-MRSA is seen in healthy people who have not been hospitalized or had medical procedures within the past year.
Some facts about CA-MRSA:
Who's Affected: Anyone can get it, but outbreaks are being seen in crowded settings such as schools, prisons, and among athletes sharing sports equipment. Poor hygiene practices may spread the bacteria easily.
Symptoms: CA-MRSA typically begins as a skin infection, and is sometimes mistaken for a spider bite. It can look like small pimples that develop into skin abcesses or boils, with redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or tenderness present.
Diagnosis: Definite diagnosis is made by culturing a sample of the wound or its drainage. If the germ growth can't be killed with traditional antibiotics, it is called MRSA.
Treatment: The infection can be treated by draining abcesses or boils and giving localized care, with antibiotics being given if necessary. Left untreated, CA-MRSA infections can progress to more serious skin infections which can later infect blood and bones.
Spread of Infection: CA-MRSA is spread mainly through person-to-person contact, contact with drainage from an infected wound, or contact with contaminated items such as towels, clothing, or athletic equipment. In general, healthy people are at low risk for MRSA infection, so casual contact - such as kissing, hugging, and touching - is OK. Bacteria existing normally on the skin can cause CA-MRSA, so it's possible to infect a pre-existing cut or blister not protected by a bandage.
Prevention and Control: CAREFUL HANDWASHING IS THE BEST DEFENSE - PERIOD! Hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used. Skin infections caused by MRSA should be covered until healed. Personal items such as towels, razors, and sports equipment should not be shared. If sharing of equipment can't be avoided, use a clean towel or an article of clothing for a barrier. Wash clothing, linens, and towels in hot water and dry in a hot dryer to kill germs. Avoid using unnecessary antibiotics - this breeds resistance.
Anyone that suspects they are infected with MRSA should seek medical treatment
to avoid more serious complications.
Flu vaccine should be readily available beginning in October this year and no shortage is expected, as had been the case in the past couple of years. The Cobb County Health Department is now offering flu vaccines for $20.00. The RediClinic at Walgreen's charges $25.00 or insurance copay for the vaccine, and the Minute Clinic at CVS Pharmacy charges $30.00 or insurance copay. Your family physician should also have the vaccine on hand. The CDC recommends that all high-risk individuals be vaccinated. These include:
Anyone 50 years of age or older
Residents of nursing homes or other chronic care facilities
Anyone with long-term health problems
All children 6 months to 5 years of age
Pregnant women
Anyone with a weakened immune system
Anyone with muscle or nerve disorders
Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of high-risk individuals
If you choose to use one of the mini-clinics, be sure to call ahead to check
the times the flu shots are offered, and what ages they will give it to. Some
clinics will only give it to those ages 4 and up.
Is My Child Too Sick For School?
Your child may be if he or she has displayed the following symptoms in the last 24 hours:
v Elevated Temperature (100 degrees or greater)
v Cold sore throat, or persistent cough
v Vomiting, nausea, or abdominal pain
v Repeated diarrhea
v Purulent discharge (anything other than clear) from the nose or eyes resulting in a contagious condition.
v Red, inflamed or discharging eyes (conjunctivitis)
v Suspected scabies, impetigo, acute skin rashes or eruptions, any skin lesion in the weeping stage, head lice, or any other infectious childhood condition.
Sometimes it can be hard to tell when your
child is too ill to go to school. There are concerns about missing important
school work and perfect attendance. Children, like adults have different
tolerances for illness and discomfort. With the common cold, for example, some
kids are able to function just fine, while others are miserable. If your child
comes to school with symptoms of a communicable disease, it can put other
children at risk of becoming sick, so it is best that the child stay at home. In
the long run, this will promote stronger, healthier, and happier children, and
will mean fewer lost work days and less illness for parents!
Medications and Healthcare at School
www.cobb.k12.ga.us/schoolhealth/q&a.htm
You can click on the link above for questions and answers regarding medication administration and care for your child in our clinic. If you can't find the answer to your specific question there, please feel free to contact me. I will be glad to help! You will also find a link that will direct you to medication authorization forms.
Check out these web sites:
www.kidshealth.com - Has thousands of in-depth features, articles, games, and resources, with separate areas for kids, teens, and parents.
www.safekids.org - A great site dedicated to educating and protecting families against accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children aged 14 and under.
www.hhs.gov/kids - Chock full of games, activities, and information for kids, teens, parents, and ecucators - I especially like the section for girls!
www.cdc.gov/nip - Web site for the Centers for Disease Control. This link provides information on immunizations (the TdaP and Menactra vaccines will be of particular interest to middle-schoolers).
www.choa.org - Children's Healthcare of Atlanta website. Find a wealth of information here, including support services and a guide to finding a doctor for your child.
www.foodallergy.org - Food allergy and anaphylaxis network. A great source for education about food allergies. Contains recipes, a list of common food allergens, tips, and alerts.
www.mayoclinic.com - A great site with links to information on children's health - there are areas specific to children and teens.
New Information Coming Soon!
Susan Wood, LPN
School Nurse
Garrett
Middle School
