Dear Parents / Guardians,

 
As always, we can expect the cold and flu season to be upon us, so I’d like to remind you about some precautions to take to keep our children as healthy as possible and prevent the spread of illness in school.

First of all, I can’t stress enough how imperative it is that the children understand the importance of good hand washing with warm water and soap. Nothing has been proven to be more effective in killing contact germs, including MRSA, than soap and water. Hand Sanitizer products have become very popular but they carry with them some very serious side effects such as alcohol poisoning and various contact skin disorders. The occasional use of these products can be useful, but they are not a substitute for soap and water.

So, how can we work together to have a healthier school year? Remind your children to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze. Using a tissue or coughing in their elbow is very effective in preventing the spread of communicable illness. Remind them to wash their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their noses. Remind them not to put their fingers, pencils, etc. in their mouths. (Surprisingly, students at all grade levels tend to regularly put objects in their mouths.) Sharing pencils and other items can also spread germs. Another possible way to prevent the spread of common illnesses is to err on the side of caution and keep your child home for a day when they are really uncomfortable and struggling with the beginning of a cold. Sometimes we mistake the common cold for other viral infections, such as 5th Disease, and we send the children to school when they are most contagious. Keeping them home that one day can prevent a longer absence for them and an illness for other classmates.

Our goal is to have a healthy, successful school year and, with your cooperation, I’m sure it will be.

As always, it is a pleasure to work with your children. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call.

Sincerely,
Dolores Amico, RN