Health and Wellness
Marshfield Public Schools Health Services Newsletter
⛄Happy Holidays!⛄
From all of the Health Services' Staff, we wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season!
We would like to share some of the happenings in the district, health tips, and information that supports the health and safety of our Marshfield students!
🚨 Safety is a Priority 🚨
The School Nurse Educators of MPSD have been working to become American Heart Association Certified BLS instructors. They are working through the district to ensure medical safety is a top priority! Enjoy some pictures of recent CPR classes provided by our nurses, with more to come!
CPR Training at South River Elementary School
Nurse Educators excited about teaching CPR!
School nurse educators pictured left to right:
Alison White from EWS
Julie Stiles from SRS
Megan Owren from FBMS and Kristen Ayre from the Early Education Center
Staff at South River School
Engaged with learning about important life saving information.
Stayin' Alive!
Practicing effective compressions during class!
CPR at Marshfield Early Education Center
Having fun while learning CPR!
Staff from the MEEC enjoying working together while practicing CPR!
Practice makes perfect!
Staff practice the steps of CPR! Hands on learning is fun!
Ready to save lives!
All staff worked through practicing initiating CPR and familiarizing themselves with using AED's!
CPR Instruction to MPSD Coaches
Starting the year off right!
Practicing giving breaths
Demonstrating great technique!
Additional Safety Training
Stop the Bleed Training
The Health Services staff hosted Ryan Henry, Education Coordinator, of the Marshfield Fire Department to train MPSD's staff on the national Stop the Bleed program. This important, life saving training is another way that the Health Services Department is continuing to ensure safety of all students, staff and members of the community.
Narcan Training
School nurse educators gathered for a professional development presentation and Narcan training provided by the Plymouth County Outreach, PCO. Each building in the district was also given free Narcan as a part of this important training.
🩺Why School Nurses are So Important🩺
⛄Tips for a Healthy Winter Season⛄
Take care of yourself and your family during the long winter months with these healthy reminders:
As we enter the winter months, here are some helpful tips to keep your families healthy
- Handwashing: The best way to stop the spread of germs is to frequently wash your hands
- Hydration: Increased hydration will help prevent dry mucous membranes in the winter months, bloody noses, chapped lips and dry throats increase heavily during the winter months with the heat being turned on...drink your water!
- Nutrition: A balanced diet of the right nutrients will help aide your immune system during the winter cold and flu season, make sure you and your family are getting those fruits and veggies in!
- Sleep: Getting a good night sleep is crucial for learning and staying healthy for you and your children. Prioritize healthy sleep habits to ensure you are setting yourself and your children up for success with a restful night of sleep.
- Illness: If you or your child become sick, always check in with your primary care provider if necessary. It's always important to rest, increase your fluids and sleep when you are under the weather. Also a friendly reminder with viral season upon us that your child must be fever free without the help of a fever reducer for 24 hours before returning to school.
Wash your hands!🖐️🧼
Common Childhood Infection
Strep Throat
Strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep). Strep throat is more common in children than adults. It is most common in children 5 through 15 years old. It is very rare in children younger than 3 years old.
How you get strep throat
Group A strep bacteria are very contagious. Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. It usually takes two to five days for someone exposed to group A strep bacteria to become ill with strep throat. Some people infected with group A strep do not have symptoms or seem sick. People who are sick with strep throat are more contagious than those who do not have symptoms. Generally, people spread the bacteria to others through:
People can get sick if they:
- Breathe in respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria
- Touch something with those droplets on it and then touch their mouth or nose
- Drink from the same glass or eat from the same plate as a person infected with group A strep bacteria
- Touch sores on the skin caused by group A strep bacteria (impetigo) or come into contact with fluid from the sores
Symptoms
In general, strep throat is a mild disease, but it can be very painful. Common symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Pain when swallowing
- Sore throat that can start very quickly and may look red
- Red and swollen tonsils
- White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils
- Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth, called petechiae
- Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
Some people, especially children, may have other symptoms including:
- Headache
- Stomach pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rash (scarlet fever)
The following symptoms more likely suggest a virus is the cause of the illness instead of strep throat:
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Hoarseness (changes in your voice that make it sound breathy, raspy, or strained)
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Treatment
Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics. Benefits of antibiotics include:
- Decreasing how long someone is sick
- Decreasing symptoms (feeling better)
- Preventing the bacteria from spreading to others
- Preventing serious complications like rheumatic fever
Someone with strep throat should start feeling better in just a day or two after starting antibiotics. Use antibiotics properly! Take the prescription exactly as the doctor says to. Keep taking the medicine even if you or your child feels better. Don’t stop unless the doctor says to stop.
Call the doctor if you or your child are not feeling better after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.
Return to School/Work
People with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they:
- No longer have a fever
AND
- Have taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours
For more information on strep throat, please visit the following links:
The 10 Worst Toys of 2023
World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H) reveals the yearly list of toys that have the potential to cause the most injuries and hazards
Click here to read more about this