Health Room
Importance of Breakfast
In the health room, the importance of breakfast is underscored every single day. I have had children needing a wheelchair to get to the health room because they are waiting until 12-1 to eat lunch and their growing bodies and growing brains have been eating away at the fuel needed to get through the day.
Studies show kids who eat breakfast in the morning concentrate better in the classroom and perform better on math, reading and standardized tests. They have fewer behavior problems, are less likely to be tardy, and to maintain a healthy weight.
I know breakfast can seem like a hurdle in the morning. Here are a couple of tips about how to squeeze breakfast into morning routines from www.eatright.org.
TIPS
- Keep breakfast simple.
Get the family going with something as quick as a bowl of whole-grain cereal with a banana or a mini meal of yogurt topped with granola, a sandwich on whole-grain bread or a slice of leftover veggie pizza.
- Remember protein and carbohydrates.
A high-octane carbohydrate source energizes the body and brain for a busy day with fiber and nutrients. Think whole-grain cereal (hot or cold), bread, tortillas, muffins, waffles or even leftover rice or pasta. Protein often is the missing link in most morning meals and it’s needed to go strong until lunch. Think a slice of Canadian bacon, an egg, a slice of lean deli meat or low-fat cheese, a container of low-fat yogurt, a scoop of low-fat cottage cheese, a cup of milk or a handful of nuts.
- Start the day with an extra helping of fruits and vegetables.
Breakfast is a perfect time to enjoy fruits and vegetables children need for optimal health. Try fresh seasonal fruit alone or in cereal, add frozen fruits to yogurt or toss chopped vegetables into an omelet.
- Pack your breakfast to go.
If there's no time to eat at home, plan a nutritious option to eat in the car or bus. Busy teens can grab a banana, a bag of trail mix and a carton of milk. Don’t forget to see if your school offers a breakfast program.
- Help make sure your kids have an appetite.
Many kids aren't hungry for breakfast because they snack too much at night. Try only offering lighter snacks in the evening and you might be surprised how much hungrier they are in the morning. In addition, try having your children dress first and eat second. Kids are more likely to feel hungry once they have a chance to wake up.
- Be a good role model.
Children will mimic their parents' behavior, so make it a habit to sit down and eat a nutritious breakfast with your kids every morning.
Find additional information about healthy eating and find a dietitian for counseling at eatright.org.
Contact
Flu Season
Flu season generally is from October to March. Most people who get the flu usually recover within two weeks however, flu-related complications can be serious. Schools, since kids have contact with so many people, send around a variety of diseases. Flu being one. The best way to prevent the flu is the flu vaccine. We encourage parents, employees and students to obtain a flu vaccine for your child's safety, your safety and the community's safety. The websites below carry more information about vaccines and the flu.
Stop the Bleed Campaign
In Richland School District 2, all school nurses have been trained as instructors in the "Stop the Bleed campaign". At Blythewood Middle school we have 3 trauma kits complete with tourniquets.
Click here for more information the on the Stop the Bleed Campaign
Health Screenings
As part of the eight components of school health, School Nurses conduct periodic vision, dental, hearing, blood pressure,and other screenings as recommended by SC DHEC, and as needed as part of the nurse's assessment during a health room visit. These screenings are important in early detection of hearing or vision difficulties that may impact teaching and learning. Many times a student is not even aware he/she is having difficulty seeing the board, reading, or hearing classroom instructions. Please contact your child's school nurse if you do not want your child screened.
Health services at Blythewood Middle School are implemented with the goal of enhancing the educational process of the students by modifying or removing health-related barriers to learning and by promoting an optimal level of wellness for both students and staff. This goal is implemented in a variety of ways. Blythewood Middle School has a fully equipped Health Room with a full-time registered nurse and a Health Room assistant. The Health Room is open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students who become ill during the day should obtain a pass from a teacher or administrator and report to the Health Room with their student identification and the pass.
- The school does not furnish any medication to students, including Tylenol. Students who need to take medication during the school day must bring the medication in the original container with a note from the parent to the Health Room first thing in the morning.
- Medication sent without a parent note, or not properly labeled cannot be administered.
- All prescription medication, including inhalers, must be in the original prescription bottle or box, with the most recent prescription date on the label.
- Medication is administered only according to the prescription label, unless a physician’s note changes the dose of the medication.
- All prescription medications must have a physician's signature and parent signature on the medication prescription form.
- For field trips and after school activities, parents must provide medications for students. The Health Room will not do this. The only exception to this procedure is for emergency medications such as inhalers, Epi-pens, and diabetic supplies. The Health Room sends these medications/supplies only.
- Per district guidelines, if the medication sent on the field study is a prescription medication, a physician’s signature is required on the district medication form, or a physician note on his/ her letterhead or prescription pad.
- Students may not have responsibility for their own prescription and nonprescription medication for field studies unless they have submitted the required forms for self-administration of medication at school. This is for emergency medications only.
- All medications for field studies should be taken to the homeroom teacher the day of the field study.
- Please direct any questions to the school nurse, Mrs. Scott, R.N., at 691-6850 ext. 85410.