Meningococcal Vaccines for Preteens and Teens

Vacunas Antimeningococicas para Preadolescentes y Adolescentes

CDC Information on Meningococcal Disease

Learn the Facts About Flu Vaccine

Conozca la verdad sobre la vacuna antigripal

Parents: Help Children Fight Flu

Learn the Facts About Flu Vaccine!

Conozca la verdad sobre la vacuna antigripal

Vaccines by Age

English and Spanish

Vaccine Schedule for Children 6 Years or Younger

English and Spanish

Vaccine Schedule for Children 7 to 18 Years Old

What Are Your Asthma Triggers?
We should always be aware of the many triggers, or causes of asthma attacks. Asthma is very prevalent not only in U-46 but in schools across the country. Some areas have more than 20 percent of their students dealing with asthma symptoms. Uncontrolled asthma has many negative consequences including students missing school. Let's take a look at what triggers asthma and ways to help our students remain in school, healthy and able to learn.
 

Prevalence
Close to 10 percent of all children in the United States have been diagnosed with asthma. ¹ Asthma has caused over 1 million hospital and emergency room visits per year and millions of school days are missed due to asthma attacks.² 
 

What is Asthma
What is asthma and how can it be controlled? Asthma is a disease that affects your breathing. More specifically, it affects the airways – causing them to swell and restrict airflow into and out of your lungs. There is no known cause for asthma but there are ways to control it. There are many negative consequences of uncontrolled asthma. Asthma symptoms can interrupt sleep at night causing sleepy, unprepared students during the day. The medicines used to prevent asthma can also cause drowsiness during the day. There is a great deal of anxiety associated with asthma. Students with asthma are concerned about participating in activities, worried about the next attack. Other students, teachers, and staff are concerned for students who suffer attacks in school. Asthma action plans help prevent asthma attacks and prepare the student to deal with asthma by defining their specific asthma triggers.

What are Asthma Triggers
Events and substances can bring on an asthma attack. There are common triggers, but every person with asthma will have their own unique set of factors that may bring on an asthma episode. It is important for students who have bouts of breathing trouble to see their physician and develop an asthma action plan. An action plan will point out what triggers your attacks and how to deal with them.
 

We as parents, teachers, maintenance personnel, school nurses, and students should be aware of the common asthma episode triggers. Although we cannot remove them all, we can be aware of them. A student who knows what triggers his/her asthma is better able to prevent an asthma attack.
 

The most common cause of asthma episodes is the common cold or other respiratory infections.³ Good hand washing is a very effective way to prevent colds. Let's promote good hand washing in school and home: remember use warm water and soap, lather for 20 seconds, and rinse.

Dust mites are another common cause of asthma episodes. Dust mites are found in carpets, mattresses, pillows, clothes, stuffed toys, and fabric-covered items. Most homes and schools in humid areas have dust mites. ⁴ Encase your pillow with a dust-proof cover. Wash sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and stuffed toys once a week in hot water. Use dehumidifiers and air conditioning to reduce the indoor humidity. ⁵
 

Prevent mold in the classroom by ensuring that surfaces do not remain wet for more than 24 hours. Watch out for cockroaches and other pests, as their droppings and remains can be a common cause of asthma episodes. Prevent bugs by keeping food and garbage sealed in plastic bags. Never leave food out in the kitchen or classroom. ⁶
 

Allergens, those things that trigger allergic reactions such as a runny nose and itchy watery eyes can also cause asthma attacks. Seasonal allergies are brought on by the changes of the season from winter to spring and again from summer to fall. When pollen and outdoor mold counts are high, consider staying indoors and keeping windows closed. Check with your doctor to see if you should consider taking medicine to prevent allergic reactions to pollens and molds, before the season starts. ⁷
 

Animals with fur are known to cause problems for asthma. Teachers, consider having fish or reptiles for class pets – hamsters, mice, and other furry animals can cause problems for students with asthma.
 

Watch out for strong odors, such as perfumes, air fresheners, and body creams. Although they may smell lovely to some, they can cause an attack for students with asthma.⁸ Diesel exhaust coming in through open windows can also be a trigger. If buses pull up next to your classroom, leave the windows closed at that time.
 

Without treatment, most students with asthma have some difficulty breathing with physical activity. Some children only experience asthma symptoms during or after physical activity. This is referred to as exercise induced asthma (or EIA). EIA may be worsened by breathing colder, dryer air. It can be prevented by taking a bronchodilator, such as albuterol, 15 minutes prior to exercise. It may also be prevented by warm-up and cool-down exercises. ⁹
 

Strong expressions of feelings, such as crying, laughing hard, or yelling can cause some students' asthma to flare up. ¹⁰
 

Signs & Symptoms ¹¹
According to the NEA's online course “Managing Asthma in the School Environment” The signs and symptoms of an asthma attack include:

• Shortness of breath – students may complain of feeling winded, or unable to catch their breath.
• Wheezing – wheezing sounds like a high-pitched, raspy whistle. You may hear the wheeze when the person exhales. As an asthma episode progresses, you may hear the wheeze when the person inhales and exhales. There is one more key point about wheezing. During an asthma episode when the chest is tight, the absence of wheezing may mean that there is very little air moving through the lungs and the student is having a severe asthma episode or asthma attack.
• Tightness in the chest is another sign – some students may describe this sensation as heaviness in the chest. You may even see them attempt to press down on their chest in an attempt to alleviate the pressure.
• Coughing at night, after physical activity, or a cough that lasts more than a week, in the absence of a respiratory infection, is another sign. Coughing can also be a warning sign of an impending episode for some people with asthma.
• Signs of a student with a severe attack include struggling to breathe, talk, or stay awake, blue lips, or if the student asks for an ambulance.

Action Plan
See your doctor if your child is dealing with any of these symptoms. Alert your school's nurse and your child's teachers if your child has asthma. Click on the health forms below and print. 

Annual Asthma Assessment
Asthma Action Plan
Asthma medication permission and physician instruction - English
Asthma medication permission and physician instruction - Spanish

Have your physician fill out the information regarding the level of asthma and the medicines and treatments necessary to control it. Fill out the parent/guardian portion of these forms. Bring these forms in along with any inhaler or medicine that needs to be taken at school and give them to your school's Direct Service Nurse.

Feel free to call the Direct Service Nurse at your child's school. School nurses have information on working with asthma in school and can help answer your questions. They will also coordinate the care needed to keep your child in good health and staying in school.

 

References:
1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 The National Education Association; NEA, Health Information Network; &
Merck Childhood Asthma Network. (2010). Managing asthma in the school
environment: what NEA members need to know. NEA Academy course , http://www.neaacademy.org/leader-to-leader/managing-asthma-in-the-school-
environment-what-nea-members-need-to-know.html
2 Akinbami, M.D., L. J., Moorman, M.S., J. E., & Liu, M.Sc., X. (2011). Asthma prevalence,
health care use, and mortality: United States, 2005–2009. National Health Statistics
Reports , 32 . Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr032.pdf
5, 6, 7 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
National Institutes of health. (2007). Asthma action plan (NIH Publication No. 07-
5251). Bethesda , MD : Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/
lung/asthma/actionplan_text.htm
 

Other helpful websites:
Help Your Child Gain Control Over Asthma – a brochure
Basic information on Asthmav

The Varicella Vaccine (chicken pox) is a requirement for all students in Illinois.  ALL students are required by the Illinois Dept. of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education to receive one dose on or after their first birthday.  A second dose (no less than four weeks later) is only required for students in Kindergarten, 1st, 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th grades at this time.  

If your child has had Chicken Pox, written proof of the disease (such as a statement or notation by a medical doctor on the physical) OR laboratory results indicating varicella immunity is required.  

Please visit the following web site which can provide you with detailed information about immunizations and the State of Illinois requirements. Also, please remember to complete the parent portion (student health history) on all physicals as this is a requirement as well.

Click here to view the Illinois Dept. of Public Health site about immunizations and requirements for public school children.

What if my child has head lice??

If suspected , the School Nurse will exam a student and notify the  parent/guardian of head lice if it has been identified.  Students may be released from school at the discretion of the parent/guardian.  Education and information will be provided for the treatment and prevention of head lice to parent/guardians. 

Students will  not be excluded from school due to head lice.  The Illinois Dept. of Public Health, Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Illinois State Board of Education all support children remaining in school. 

AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) offers the following guidance for treating head lice

Head lice are often a fact of life for school aged children. While inconvenient, head lice cause no medical harm and can be effectively treated. A revised clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Head Lice,” published in the August print issue of Pediatrics (published online July 26, 2010), clarifies and updates protocols for diagnosis and treatment, and provides guidance for the management of children with head lice in the school setting.

Head lice are not a health hazard or a sign of poor hygiene and, in contrast to body lice, are not responsible for the spread of any disease. No healthy child should be excluded from or miss school because of head lice, and no-nit policies for return to school should be abandoned. Informed school nurses can help with diagnosis and suggestions about treatment. Because head lice are usually transmitted by head to head contact, parents should carefully check a child's head before and after attending a sleepover or camp where children share sleeping quarters.

There are many ways to treat active infestations, but not all products and techniques have been evaluated for safety and effectiveness. One percent permethrin lotion is recommended as initial treatment for most head lice infestations with a second application 7 - 10 days after the first. Parents and caregivers should make sure that any treatment chosen is safe; preferred treatments would be those which are easy to use, reasonably priced, and proven to be non-toxic. All products must be used exactly according to manufacturer's instructions. Your pediatrician can help with diagnosis, treatment choices and management of difficult cases.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

For more research-based information to go www.identifyus.com or to www.cdc.gov/lice/head/treatment.html    

What you can do to help prevent head lice:

• Discourage head to head contact and the sharing of head accessories.
• Talk to children about sleepovers and how important it is to have your own pillow and space to sleep so head lice cannot be transmitted from one toanother.
• Check your children periodically for nits. If nits are found notify your child's close friends and relatives with whom they play or associate. 
•   Educate and discourage your child from sharing hats, stuffed animals, ear phones, etc. could carry head lice from one person to the next. 
• Encourage good hygiene and hand washing to all family members.
• Discourage dress up centers, such as they have in museums, wherechildren share clothing and especially head gear.

If you have any questions please contact the nurse at your school. View the below websites for further information

• http://headfirstlicelessons.org/                                        
• http://kanehealth.com/index.htm

In April 2024, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that Illinois is currently experiencing an outbreak of measles among adults and children, with most cases concentrated in northeast Illinois in Cook, Will, and Lake counties.

Measles is highly contagious, especially in school-aged children. Symptoms of measles include a rash that starts on the face and neck and then spreads, a high fever, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Treatment includes bed rest, lots of fluids, and medicine for fever and headache. Antibiotics do not help – either to cure measles or to prevent it. There are no anti-viral drugs for treating measles.

U-46, which works closely with our local Departments of Public Health, has not had any confirmed positive cases of measles. The U-46 Health Services Department is cautiously monitoring all trends and information. Nursing staff at each school building monitor for illness signs and symptoms that may be consistent with measles.

To prevent the spread of infection, it is critical that staff and students have the age-appropriate number of doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, or other evidence of immunity to measles. 

Individuals who are immunocompromised, pregnant, unvaccinated, or not fully vaccinated and were exposed to a confirmed case of measles, may be subjected to a period of exclusion, which will be determined by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The most likely exclusion for those individuals is 21 days from the date of last exposure. At this time, an individual is concerned to have been exposed if they were in the same building as the positive individual within their contagious window. 

Health Services is in constant contact with our state and local health departments regarding all communicable illnesses and understands that news of a measles outbreak can cause concern. 

The best way to protect yourself and your family members is to get vaccinated. The Health Services department encourages all staff, students, and their families to consult with their physician regarding any questions or concerns. Additional resources about measles are located below.

Peanuts and nuts are among the most common allergy causing foods. They sure can cause you trouble if you are allergic to them – and a growing number of kids are these days.

Exposure to peanut and peanut products can be life threatening. By following simple guidelines, the exposure for affected students can be minimized.

• Students should not share food in the lunchroom. Each student should eat his or her own lunch whether it was purchased at school or brought from home.
• Utilizing frequent and effective hand washing practices. This will not only help decrease the transmission of peanut allergens, but also the transmission of germs.
• Adherence to requests for peanut-free treats for parties and celebrations in the classroom. If you are in doubt, ask your School Nurse or classroom teacher.

It is not difficult to find peanut-free snacks and treats. Many common and favorite snacks/treats are appropriate. Be sure to check labels just to be sure. Here is a list of peanut-free snacks and treats that may be helpful:
Fruits

• All fresh fruits
• Dole fruit bowls
• Sun-Maid Raisins (not chocolate covered)
• Applesauce Cups
• Motts Fruit Blasters Applesauce Tubes

Vegetables

• All fresh vegetables, including:
• Carrots with dip
• Celery sticks with cream cheese or dip

Gummy Snacks

• Not Brachs, only Betty Crocker or Nabisco
• Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit by the Foot
• Gushers
• Shark Bites
• Fun Fruits
• Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks
• Trix Fruit Snacks
• Hi-C Fruit Snacks
• Pokemon Fruit Snacks

Cookies

• Nilla Wafers
• Oreos and mini Oreos (not mint creme)
• Chips-A-Hoy (not mint)
• Bisco Wafers
• Teddy Grahams
• Pepperidge Farms - Milano Chessman, Shortbread and Sugar Cookies
• Keebler - Butter Cookies, Grasshopper Cookies
• Nabisco - Barnum Animal Crackers, Oatmeal and Iced Oatmeal Cookies, Cameo Cookies, Fig Newtons, Kool Stuff Strawberry Seas Bars
• Rice Crispy Treats (plain only)
• Nutri-Grain - Apple Cinnamon/Brown Sugar Twists

Salty Snacks

• Rold Gold Pretzels
• Snyders of Hanover Pretzels
• Ruffles Potato Chips
• Lays Potato Chips
• Fritos
• Doritos
• Cheetos
• Tostitos
• Pringles (Original only)
• Popcorn - Pop Secret, Orville Redenbacher

Crackers

• Honey Maid - Cinnamon Grahams and Sticks
• Honey Grahams
• Ritz Crackers (plain only, not sandwiches)
• Keebler Club Crackers (original only, not sandwiches)
• Nabisco Saltines
• Sunshine Cheez-Its
• Triscuit
• Wheat Thins
• Pepperidge Farms Goldfish (only plain, pretzel or cheddar; not cinnamon)
• Sargento-Mootown Crackers and Cheese Dip
• Keebler Town House Crackers
• Sportz Cheddar Crackers
• Kraft Handi-Snacks Cinnamon Graham
• Crackers with Applesauce Dip

Gelatin and Pudding

• Hersheys Chocolate Pudding Tubes
• Kraft Hand-Snacks - Wacky Gels, Vanilla and Chocolate Pudding
• Hunts - Juicy Gels, Vanilla and Chocolate Pudding
• Jello - Gelatin cups, X-treme Jello Tubes, Vanilla, and Chocolate Oreo Pudding
• Dole Fruit-n-Gel Bowls
• Del Monte Fruit and Gel To-Go Bowls

Frozen Treats

• Minute Maid - Juice Bars and Creme Swirls, Frozen Lemonade
• Good Humor - Fudgesicles, Popsicles, Fire Crackers, Great Whites, MicroPops and Scribblers
• Nestle - Itzkadoozies, Ice Screamers
• Flintstones Rainbow Sherbet Treats and Juicy Juice Frozen Juice Pops
• Lick-A-Colors
• Tropicana Fruit Juice Bars
• Welch's Fruit Juice Popsicles
• ICEE Frozen Treats

Miscellaneous

• Cheese
• T. Mazetti's Caramel Apple Dip (with apples)
• Pizza - Papa John's, Dominoes, Flippers, Pizza Hut
• Candy - Starburst, Skittles, Twizzlers, Hershey Milk Chocolate Bars (not with almonds) and Hershey Kisses (not with almonds and not Hugs), Milk Duds, DOTS, Sour Patch Kids and Tootsie Rolls
• Doughnuts - Krispy Creme "original glazed" only (only from the store, with or without sprinkles)
• Jet-puffed Marshmallows

DistictU-46AllergyandAnaphylaxisguidelines

Sneezing, running nose, sinus discomfort, watery, itchy, swollen eyes? You are not alone!

Did you know?

About 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from seasonal allergies? In our area, most early spring allergy symptoms are caused by tree pollen? In late spring and early summer grass and weed pollen are the most likely cause?  Pollen can be found 400 miles out to sea and 2 miles in the air? Did you know allergy medicine is more helpful if used before you are exposed to allergens and develop symptoms? All allergy medicines are not created equal; some may be more effective than others. And should be used at different times and for different symptoms.

Click here to learn more about allergy medications.

Click here to answer all your allergy questions.

Click here to learn more about pollen and mold counts from the National Allergy Bureau, a service of the Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Click on "My NAB" to register for counts in your area. There is also other useful information on allergies and asthma.

Understanding Type 1 Diabetes for Parents and Guardians

Exclusion Policies as of 3/6/2024:

• Individuals who test positive will be excluded from school until they have been fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medication) AND have overall symptom improvement. 

*Parents/ Guardians: If your student has tested positive for COVID, please contact your school's nurse as soon as possible. If you are not sure who to contact, please visit our website.*

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Changed?

With the updated guidance from March 5th, 2024, students who test positive for COVID are no longer excluded from school for a preset amount of time. Instead, a student can return to school once they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and have overall symptom improvement. 

What happens if my student tests positive for COVID-19?

If your student tests positive for COVID-19, please alert your building nurse and attendance line. Your student will be excluded until they are fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and any other symptoms have improved.

If your student never had a fever, they would simply need to be feeling better overall.

Your student is able to return to school once both of those pieces (fever free and symptom improvement) are true.

Until your student meets the return requirements, please continue calling your student out of school daily.

Is masking required on days 6-10? Is masking required at all?

The new guidance recommends masking when your student returns to school and for five days after. However, there is no longer a requirement for anyone to mask regardless of where they stand in their timeline.

Does the district still have at-home COVID tests available?

Yes. Each building has a small supply of at-home COVID tests that are available for our students. Please note that these tests cannot be performed in a school building, and cannot be done by the building nurse.

What about students who were excluded recently under the previous guidance?

Those individuals who are still within their previously assigned exclusion timeline will be contacted by your building nurse and informed of the new guidance. Those individuals would also be eligible to return to school once they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and have had overall symptom improvement.

Am I required to test my student for COVID?

No. While it is recommended that anyone experiencing one or more symptoms of COVID-19 be tested, it is not required. 

January 2025

Dear U-46 Parents/Guardians,

As you may have heard in recent media coverage, our country is experiencing a significant uptick in viral illnesses, including Influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and Norovirus. This has led to the term “quad-demic” being coined to describe the simultaneous spread of multiple viral infections. Understandably, this situation has raised concerns, especially given the context of the recent pandemic, which may contribute to heightened anxiety among families.

Please be assured that School District U-46 is actively monitoring illness-related absences and follows the recommended infection control practices from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Your help minimizing the spread of infections during this viral season is greatly appreciated.

Here are some ways you can assist in keeping all students safe and healthy:

• Consider Vaccination: If eligible, please consider having your child receive the COVID-19 and flu vaccinations as a preventative measure.
• Monitor Symptoms: If your child has a cough, runny nose, or fever, consider testing for illness and consult your child's doctor. We encourage students with viral symptoms but no fever to stay home.
• Fever Guidelines: If your child has a fever, they must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications before returning to school.
• Vomiting or Diarrhea: Any student who experiences vomiting or diarrhea must stay home and be symptom-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medications before returning to school.
• Report Symptoms: When you notify the school of your child's absence, please inform the attendance secretary of your child's symptoms. This will help us track potential trends of infectious illness at your child's school and in their classroom.
• Positive Test Results: If your child tests positive for COVID-19, Strep throat, Influenza, or RSV, please contact your school nurse for further guidance.
• Emergency Pickup: If your child is sent home due to illness, please plan for an expedited pick-up. We understand it may be difficult to leave work immediately, but we encourage you to arrange support with family, friends, or others if needed.
• Encourage Good Hygiene: Teach your child to cover their coughs and sneezes with their elbow, and emphasize frequent handwashing. Practicing these habits at home helps protect others.

Here are some resources:

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all students and staff. Please contact the school nurse or our Health Services team via Let’s Talk for questions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

The U-46 Health Services Team

Click here to download a copy of this letter