Health Services

When to Keep Student Home

Any student exhibiting one or more of the following conditions/symptoms must be kept home from school.  

• • Temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher. Student may return to school when fever went away over the night and is gone in the morning without the use of fever-reducing medications (such as Tylenol, acetaminophen, Advil, Motrin, and ibuprofen).
  • Nasal discharge that cannot be controlled with tissue and proper hand washing.
  • Stay home and seek medical attention for difficulty breathing or swallowing, or continuous drooling due to sore throat.  OK to attend with mild symptoms or when medical provider documents that the student can return to school.  Please consider wearing a mask if age 2 years or older.
  • Stay home and seek medical attention for severe cough, difficulty breathing or trouble catching breath, or wheezing when not controlled by medication (like albuterol).
  • Continued symptoms within 24 hours of illness-related absence.
  • Vomiting or persistent nausea. Student may return to school when vomiting has ended overnight, and the child is able to hold down liquids and food or medical provider documents that the student can return to school.  Frequent hand washing is recommended.
  • Student may return when diarrhea is improving or stopped or medical provider documents that the student can return to school.  Frequent hand washing is recommended.
  • Rash of unknown cause. It is ok to attend school with mild symptoms, but stay home and seek medical attention if rash is worsening, causing pain, blisters, or is not healing.  Student may return to school when rash is improving, has started appropriate treatment, or as guided by health care provider.
  • Student found with lice should be sent home to start treatment.  Students may return to school upon satisfactory treatment and after there are no visible lice upon re-examination.
  • Asthma symptoms not relieved with medication.
  • Allergic reaction. Student may return to school the next day if reaction has resolved.

Health Screenings

Vision and Hearing

School districts are required to provide vision and hearing screenings each school year to grades TK/K, 2, 5, 8.   This vision screening will include Visual Acuity and Color Vision (males only).  The hearing screening will be provided to grades TK/K, 2, 5, 8, 10. (EC 49452, 49452.5, 49455, 49456)

A parent/guardian may request that their child not participate in these screenings by providing a written request to the school Principal each year.  (EC 49451, 49455)

Physical Examination

California State law requires all students to have a physical examination prior to entering kindergarten or first grade, whichever is the student’s first year in public school. Contact your local health department if you need assistance obtaining a physical exam for your child.  If your child appears to be suffering from a recognized contagious or infectious disease, the student will not be permitted to attend school until it is determined to the satisfaction of District representatives that an infectious disease does not exist.  (EC 48980, 49403, 49451).

Dental Screening

A parent/guardian is required to provide proof of an oral health assessment for their TK/kindergarten student (or first grade student, if the student was not enrolled in kindergarten in a public school) by May 31^st of the child’s first year in public school.   The dental screening must be done by a licensed dentist or other licensed registered dental health professional. (EC 49452.8).

Immunizations

Immunizations for New Students

A parent/guardian is required to provide proof that their student has received all immunizations required by law for school attendance, including Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTAP), Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Varicella, Tdap (for 7th grade), and Hepatitis B. Current law (SB 277) effective January 1, 2016 no longer allows personal beliefs or religious exemptions for required immunizations.  A personal beliefs exemption currently on file for a child already attending child care or school will remain valid until the child reaches the next immunization check point at TK/kindergarten or 7th grade.  If the child has a physical condition or medical circumstances for which the required immunizations are not indicated, the parent/guardian must submit a medical exemption issued by a doctor through California Immunization Registry-Medical Exemption website (CAIR-ME).  

More information can be found at www.shotsforschool.org (HSC 120365, 120370, 120375) and cair.cdph.ca.gov/exemptions/home.

Immunizations for 7^th Grade
Per California law, a parent/guardian must submit proof that their child received the TDAP and 2nd Varicella vaccination prior to entry into 7^th grade.  The TDAP booster can be given on or after the child’s 7^th birthday.

Medication at School

Medical History
In order to maintain the safety, health, and welfare of students, parents/guardians are required to notify the school administration of student health issues every year.  It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to contact the school nurse if their student has a health concern that may impact their participation in school activities or may need to be addressed during the school day.

Medication at School
If a child needs to take medication (prescription or over-the-counter) at school, the parent/guardian must complete a Medication at School form that includes instructions and a signature from an authorized health care provider. These instructions are to include the reason, the method, the amount, and the time of administration. The Medication at School form is valid for the current school year only, including summer school.  A new form must be submitted each school year.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide and maintain current (non-expired) medications in an original pharmacy-labeled container that will be kept in the nurse station. All medication and medical supplies must be picked up by the parent/guardian no later than the last day of the school year.  Medications left after the end of the school year will be discarded.  Whenever a student transfers between schools within the District or if the student attends summer school, the parent/guardian must transfer the medication to the new site.

A student is not allowed to have medications (prescriptions or over-the-counter) in their possession on the school campus unless the student is authorized by treating health care provider.  If this is the case, then the student, parent/guardian, and healthcare provider must complete the Contract to Carry Life-Sustaining Medication at School form and the student must successfully demonstrate the safety standards associated with the self-administration of the medication to the credentialed school nurse. 

Individualized School Health Care Plan

An Individualized School Healthcare Plan (ISHP) may be developed, if indicated, by the district nurse in collaboration with the student (if appropriate) and parent.  The plan assesses and identifies healthcare needs and accommodations necessary for a student to attend school.  It includes parent/guardian consent, physician authorization and diagnosis, and identifies persons responsible for the implementation of the plan.

Food Allergies at School

Please help us keep all of our students safe and healthy at school.

1. If you have a child who has food allergies, make sure you notify the school nurse, and the teacher(s).
2. Talk to your child about not sharing or trading their food or lunches with other children.
3. Children with food allergies can keep medication (Epi-Pen, Benadryl, inhaler, etc.) in the nurse’s station after completed the Medication at School Form.
4. Dietary accommodations for school lunch meals can be made only for students who have a Medical Accommodation Statement on file with the director of food services. A licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner must sign this medical statement.

Emergency Medical Assistance at School
School staff will use the Emergency Card to contact the parent/guardian in the event of a medical emergency.  If the parent/guardian cannot be reached, the school will act in their absence to ensure medical treatment is provided.  The school staff may call 911 to make needed services available for a student if they deem appropriate.  

A parent/guardian is responsible for updating their child’s emergency card as information changes during the school year.  It is important to include all information regarding student health needs (health conditions and/or medications).  This confidential health information will only be shared at the discretion of the Principal with staff who has a “legitimate education interest.” (EC 49472)

Anaphylaxis Emergency

Current law (SB 1266) effective January 1, 2015, requires schools to provide emergency epinephrine for individuals who may be experiencing anaphylaxis.  Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction which can occur after exposure to an allergen, such as food, insect venom, medication or latex.  Without immediate administration of epinephrine and summoning Emergency Medical Services (911), death could occur.  Certain individuals may experience anaphylaxis that have no previous history of an allergy and therefore, may not have their own prescription.  Legislation allows for a school nurse or a trained volunteer to administer an epinephrine auto-injector to an individual who is exhibiting potentially life threatening symptoms of anaphylaxis after exposure or ingestion of an allergen. 

All schools sites in LUSD have stock epinephrine available.   School staff is trained annually in the fall in epinephrine auto-injector administration and what signs and symptoms to look out for.