Mrs. Liotti's Web Page
School Nurse

Send me email:  LiottiD@newegypt.us
 

As your school nurse, I have been trained for my career as a professional registered nurse, certified in pediatrics and school nursing to care for my school community which includes the student, family and staff.  It is my mission to advocate for students, their families and staff health needs.  School health services are provided by the school nurse to strengthen and facilitate the educational process by improving and protecting the health status of students and staff. 

As parents, you are your child's best advocate for a healthy school year.  Please remember to continue to teach your child good health habits that prevent the spread of illness:  wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, stay home from school and after school events when you have a fever for at least 7 days or 2 days after symptoms are over (fever free without medication).    

The state of NJ mandates certain health services because they are necessary either to protect the public health or to support the continuing participation of children in school.   If your child requires school health services, please call my office at 609-758-6800 ext. 123. 

Reminder:  If your child needs medication during school hours, please contact the school nurse immediately.  DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL WITH MEDICATIONS (PRESCRIPTIONS OR OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS). 

Students must receive routine medical exams upon entry into the Plumsted Township School District.  The physical exams for students who transfer into our school district must  be completed within 30 days .  It is also recommended that students receive subsequent medical exams at least once during each developmental stage (grades 4, 7, and 10).  If your child has had a recent physical completed or immunizations, please send a copy of this information for their school health record.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me 609-758-6800 ext. 123.  Thank you for your cooperation.  Stay safe and healthy. 

Your School Nurse,

Mrs. Liotti :)

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Health Services in Ocean County 2009-2010

 The following agencies offer health services at a reduced rate:

·      Ocean County Health Department, 175 Sunset Avenue, Toms River 

     732-341-9700, ext. 7604

·        Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), 301 Lakehurst Rd., Toms River – 732-363-6655

·        Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), 101 2^nd Street, Lakewood – 732-363-6655

·      Center for Health Education Medicine and Dentistry (CHEMED),

     1771 Madison Avenue, Lakewood – 732-364-2144

·       Family Planning Center of Ocean County, Inc., 290 River Avenue, Lakewood

     732-364-9696

     Medical services available through these agencies include internal medicine, pediatrics, immunizations, behavioral health, OB (OHI), GYN, eye screening, podiatry (OHI), dental care, family health, health education, birth control and additional health screenings.  By calling any of the above-mentioned numbers, you can determine if you and your family qualify and what is needed for the registration process.  These agencies accept various insurances, including, but not limited to Medicaid, Medicare and New Jersey Family Care. 

To see if your family qualifies for New Jersey Family Care call the Ocean County Board of Social Services at 732-349-1500

Guidance for School and Childcare Settings for H1N1 (Swine Influenza) according to the NJ Department of Education at this time recommend that schools and childcare settings increase education on respiratory hygiene and monitor attendees for acute febrile respiratory illness.

Staff and children (as developmentally appropriate) should all be taught and asked to follow these steps that prevent the transmission of infections such as influenza:  Cover your coughs and sneezes. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Wash hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing. Stay home if you're sick, especially with a fever.

These steps to prevent the transmission of infections such as influenza will be encouraged daily at school to promote good hygiene and prevent the spread of infections.  Hand washing posters have been posted throughout the school to remind students of good hygiene practices.  Please review/practice these important prevention measures at home.  Thank you.  Any questions, please contact the school nurse.  (609-758-6800 ext. 123)

Links:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/   

http://www.state.nj.us/health/

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Family & Parent Anonymous/Support Group:

Parents Anonymous is a self-help group that offers parenting support and referral to resources in your community.  If you are feeling stressed out, you can call the Family Helpline at 1-800-THE-KIDS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and speak with a specially trained volunteer to help you work through your frustrations before a crisis occurs.

Family Anonymous Support Group (drugs, alcohol or mental illness):

IMMUNIZATIONS:

Beginning in September 2008, as signed into law, the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) requires all students born after January 1, 1997 and entering grade 6 to receive and to show proof of one booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus and petussis (DPT) and 1 dose of meningococcal vaccine.  This requirement will need to be met in order for your child to enter 6th grade. 

Please contact your child's physician immediately to receive these immunizations and to provide documented proof needed for entering 6th grade.

To access N.J.A.C. 8:57-4 Immunization for Pupils in School which provides information on all vaccination requirements go to http://www.nj.gov/health/cd/chap14.pdf.

An immunization guidance grid is also available on-line at http://nj.gov/health/forms/imm-7.pdf.

The Ocean County Health Department (OCHD) is no longer giving these immunizations.  Contact:

·   Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), 301 Lakehurst Rd., Toms River – 732-363-6655

·      Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), 101 2^nd Street, Lakewood – 732-363-6655

Eligibility includes families who are uninsured or under-insured (who do not have well care), and children who participate in the free and reduced lunch program.  Immunization at the OHI are offered by appointment only at the Toms River and the Lakewood Clinic.  Please contact the OHI to schedule an appointment if you are eligible.  You must bring your child's present immunization record with you if you schedule an appointment for immunizations at the OHI.

If you have any questions regarding the mandatory immunizations for 6th graders please call the New Egypt's Middle School Nurse's Office at (609)758-6800 ext. 135 to speak with Karin Nielsen, Certified School Nurse.

HEAD LICE:

Public health officials believe the incidence of head lice infestation is on the rise.  If one child's infestation is overlooked, the stage is set for transmission to the community.  

Parents:  Be on the lookout for signs and symptoms indicating that your child has contracted had lice.  The most common symptom is intense itching on the back of the neck and head.  If you observe your child scratching excessively in this area, check his/her head for nits and lice.  If head lice or nits are found, contact your physician and please notify the school nurse.  Any questions or concerns, please contact my office @ 609-758-6800 ext. 123.

TICK PREVENTION:

It is unreasonable to assume that a person can completely eliminate activities that may result in tick exposure. Therefore take the following precautions to protect yourself when exposed to natural areas where ticks are present:

·             Wear light-colored clothing which allows you to see ticks that are crawling on your clothing. Tuck your pants legs into your socks so that ticks cannot crawl up the inside of your pants legs.

·             Apply repellents to discourage tick attachment. Repellents containing permethrin can be sprayed on boots and clothing, and will last for several days. Repellents containing DEET (n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied to the skin, but will last only a few hours before reapplication is necessary. Use DEET with caution on children.

·             Conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas by searching your entire body for ticks. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Remove any tick you find on your body.

Check children for ticks, especially in the hair, when returning from potentially tick-infested areas. Ticks may also be carried into the household on clothing and pets and only attach later, so both should be examined carefully to exclude ticks.

PROPER TICK REMOVAL

1.      Use a fine-point tweezer to grasp the tick at the place of attachment, as close to the skin as possible.

2.      Wash your hands; disinfect the tweezer, and the bite site.

3.      Call your doctor to determine if treatment is warranted.

Please remember to contact the Nurse's Office if your child has been sick with a contagious disease/rash (strep, chicken pox, ringworm, lice, etc.) or has had an injury.  If you have a doctor note please forwarded it to the Nurse's Office if your child has been absent from school due to a medical problem/illness, a doctor's note is not mandatory.  If you have a doctor's note, it should indicate date student is to return to school and if there are any restrictions when returning.  Any student with an injury requiring the use of crutches in school must have a physician note to use the crutches in school, to ride the bus, and to be excused from gym class. This insures that the student has been properly instructed in the safe use of crutches and minimizes any further risk of injury to the student.

Please remember students are not permitted to bring medications to school (this includes over the counter medication and medications ordered by a doctor).  If your child needs medications during the school day, a written doctor's order,  written parental permission and the medication must be given to the school nurse in the original container in order for the medication to be administered to the student during school hours.  Contact the school nurse for these school medication forms.

New Jersey has made a commitment in providing universal health insurance to children.  One way to insure your family is through New Jersey Family Care.  New Jersey Family Care can provide free or low cost health insurance for children and their parents. Please call 1-800-701-0710 or visit their website at http://www.njfamilycare.org.  If you need any assistance or more information call the nursing office at 758-6800 ext. 123.

For this flu season, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services is recommending that children in grades 1-12 receive an annual influenza (flu) vaccination. For children in kindergarten it now is mandated that they receive the flu vaccine. This vaccination can protect your child against  a highly contagious airborne virus.  The flu is characterized by a rapid onset of fever, headache, muscle aches, sore throat and a moderate to severe cough.  One of the hallmarks of influenza is its high attack rate.  The flu season can start as early as October and last through until May.  Contact your medical care provider, Ocean County Health Dept. at 732-341-9700 or the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services, Vaccine Preventable Disease Program at 609-588-7512 for more information.

Dental health information for your student http://www.healthinschools.org/cfk/dentfact.asp 

STREP THROAT

Strep throat is most common in children 5 to 10 years and most cases are reported between the months of October to April, this is not unusual.  The symptoms of strep throat can include a sore throat (may be mild), a beefy red throat, white spots on the tonsils, difficulty swallowing, headache, stomach ache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever and tender swollen neck glands.  A rash may be present (scarlet fever) with strep throat.  The most common complications are ear and sinus infections.  Symptoms start 1-3 days after exposure.  A diagnosis by a doctor is made by a throat culture at the doctor's office.  If your child is diagnosed with strep throat, they cannot return to school until they have been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours and they must have a doctor's note indicating they may return to school.  As with any infection, it is important to finish the antibiotic prescription.  Prevention of the infection should include good hand washing habits and not sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses.  Remember to replace your child's old toothbrush with a new toothbrush after treatment for strep throat.  Please help us keep the students well this school year by doing your part in helping to prevent the spread of strep throat in school.  Adhere to the school guidelines and report all cases of strep infections to the school nurse.  Thank you :)  Any questions, please contact my office 609-758-6800 ext. 123.

 Denise Liotti, RN, BSN, CPN, CSN

SCOLIOSIS:

The State of NJ requires that all children age 10-18 yrs be screened for scoliosis (curvature of the spine) every other year.  5th grade students with permission forms have been screened for scoliosis for the 2009-2010 school year.  If you have not given permission for your child to be screened in school and brought your child to your family physician for a scoliosis screening, please send a doctor's note with the results of the scoliosis exam to the Nurse's office.  Any questions or concerns, please contact my office @ 609-758-6800 ext. 123.

PUBERTY:

Puberty educational material was provided by Proctor and Gamble for the 2009-2010 school year for 4th & 5th Graders. For more information about Puberty, go to www.pgschoolprograms.com or call 1-800-543-2108.  Any questions or concerns, please contact my office @ 609-758-6800 ext. 123.

SCHOOL HEALTH SCREENINGS:

Students are screened by the school nurse for height, weight and blood pressure each school year.  Student medical examinations (physicals) must be completed by the student's primary health care provider (doctor).  

If your child has already had a  medical examination (physical) completed by your primary health care provider (doctor), please send a copy to the nurse.  If you need a physical form, please contact the nurse's office  @ 609-758-6800 ext. 123

ALLERGIES:

Allergy season is here and in full bloom.  If your child requires allergy medication, please remember to administer the medication as directed by you physician.  If your child is having sneezing, itchy/watery eyes or nasal congestion, contact your physician for further direction.  If your child requires allergy medication during school, please contact the nurse's office @ 609-758-6800 ext. 123  

http://www.aap.org/ (American Academy of Pediatrics)

http://www.familydoctor.org/ (Health Information for the Whole Family)

http://www.kidshealth.org/index.html/ (Website about Children's Health)

http://www.njstatelib.org/ (New Jersey State Library)

http://www.cdc.gov/ (Center for Disease Control)

http://www.ochd.org (Ocean County Health Department)

http://www.state.nj.us/njded/parents/ (State of NJ Dept. of Education for Parents)

http://www.njfamilycare.org/ (NJ Affordable Health Care)

http://www.LiceMD.com  (Head Lice information)

http://www.webmd.com (Reliable Medical Information)

www.pgschoolprograms.com (Proctor and Gamble School Programs)

http://www.state.nj.us/health/ (NJ State Dept of Health & Senior Services)

http://www.foodallergy.org (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network)

http://www.njda.org (New Jersey Dental Association)

www.DrugWatch.com (over the counter and prescription drug information)

www.eatright.org (American Dietetic Association)

www.nal.usda.gov/fnic(US Dept. of Agriculture)

www.fitness.gov(President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports)