Notes from the Nurse
Spring Edition #3
March 25, 2021
- Poison Prevention and First Aid
Reminders...
- Covid-19 Information & Reminders
- How to Report an Absence Related to Covid-19
- When to Keep Your Child Home from School
- Mask Tips
Did you know?
More than 90 percent of the time, poisonings happen in people’s homes.
The majority of these poisonings occur in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. That is why it is important to follow simple steps to prevent a poisoning from happening at home.
Teach your family to never touch or put anything in their mouths unless they know what it is. Below are additional tips on how to keep poisonous items safe in your home.
Source: https://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/what-you-can-do/prevention-tips
What Can You Do?
Poison Prevention Tips
- Be prepared
- Put the poison control number (1-800-222-1222, U.S. only) in, on or near your phone.
- Save webPOISONCONTROL® as a browser favorite (webPOISONCONTROL.org).
- Install a carbon monoxide alarm in every sleeping area of your home.
- Store medicines and products in their original containers.
- Use child-resistant packaging. Replace caps securely.
- Store household products in a different place from food and medicine.
- Use medicines safely.
- Read the label before taking or giving medicine – every time.
- Follow label instructions exactly.
- Use the correct dosing syringe or cup, NOT a household spoon.
- Ask your child’s pediatrician before giving any herbal medicine or supplement.
Source: https://www.poison.org/poison-prevention-tips-by-age/elementary
Batteries Can Cause Devastating Injury
Click the infographic below for more information.
First Aid for Poisoning
There are some first aid measures for poisonings that make a difference if accomplished within seconds to minutes of a poison exposure. Be familiar with the steps below for swallowed poisons, poisons in the eye, on the skin, or inhaled (breathed in).
Call 911 right away if the individual collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened.
SWALLOWED Poisons
Drink a small amount of water or milk immediately if:
- The product swallowed is burning, irritating or caustic, AND
- The person is conscious, not having convulsions, and able to swallow.
Then, get help from Poison Control. There 2 ways to get help:
- Call 1-800-222-1222, OR
- Use webPOISONCONTROL to get specific recommendations for your case online.
Poisons in the Eye
It's important that you irrigate (rinse the exposed eyes) immediately. Every second matters and a delay could result in loss of sight. Remove contact lenses. Use lots of room temperature water and irrigate for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Adults and older children may find it easier to hop in the shower. Wrap young children in a towel and let water from the faucet in the kitchen sink run over the eye - or slowly pour water from a pitcher. Let the water hit the bridge of the nose and gently run into the eyes rather than pouring the water directly into the eye. Important: Irrigate for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Encourage blinking.
After the 15 to 20 minute irrigation, let the eye rest while you call Poison Control for additional help. If irritation, pain, visual problems, redness, swelling, or tearing persist an hour after irrigation is started, you'll need an urgent ophthalmic exam. That means a trip to an urgicenter or emergency room right away, unless an eye doctor can see you immediately. If the symptoms are severe, don't wait an hour - go straight to an emergency room after irrigating.
After irrigating, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or use webPOISONCONTROL to get specific recommendations online.
Poisons on the Skin
It's important that you rinse the exposed skin immediately. Remove contaminated clothing first (that's clothing with a spill). Every second matters. Don't delay. Use lots of room temperature running water and rinse for at least 15 minutes. For large spills, adults and older children may find it easiest to hop in the shower. Mild hand soap can be used to remove material that sticks to the skin. Important: Rinse for at least 15 minutes.
After the 15 minute rinse, call Poison Control for additional guidance. If blistering, large or deep burns, pain, redness, or swelling worsen or persist, you will need to see a doctor right away. But first call the poison specialists at Poison Control to see whether a trip to an urgicenter or emergency room is urgent or necessary. If the symptoms are severe, go straight to an emergency room after rinsing. Don't wait.
After irrigating, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or use webPOISONCONTROL to get specific recommendations online.
Poisons Inhaled by Breathing
It's important that you move to fresh air immediately. Stay away from all toxic fumes and gases. Thoroughly ventilate the involved area.
After moving to fresh air, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or use webPOISONCONTROL to get specific recommendations online.
Texas Poison Center Network - Kid's Corner
Save the number 1-800-222-1222!
Covid-19 Information & Updates
What do I do if my child has symptoms or tests positive for Covid-19?
Complete a Student Reporting Form if...
- Your child OR a household member is being tested for Covid-19
- Your child is identified as a close contact of an individual positive for Covid-19
- Your child develops symptoms that could be Covid-19
- Your child tests positive for Covid-19
Click this link to report: Student Reporting Form
Once the report is received, your school nurse will contact you with additional information.
You can also e-mail the nurse directly at: Christina.Allen@pisd.edu
Covid-19 Symptoms
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
Symptoms of Covid-19
When to keep your child home from school
A student with any of the following symptoms must be excluded from school until such time as the student is free of symptoms, has been satisfactorily treated or submits a signed physician’s statement that he/she is not contagious.
Please note: students with symptoms likely to be Covid-19 or that have been diagnosed with Covid-19 will adhere to the return to school requirements specific to Covid-19 symptoms as detailed below. Many flu-like symptoms are also symptoms of Covid-19.
- Temperature of 100.0 degrees or more without other symptoms. Student must be fever free for 24 hours, without requiring the use of fever-reducing medication, before re-entry.
- Undetermined rash over any part of the body accompanied by fever.
- Undiagnosed scaly patches on the body or scalp.
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Student must be symptom free for 24 hours, without medication, before re-entry.
- Red, draining eyes.
- Intense itching with signs and symptoms of secondary infection.
- Open, draining lesions that cannot be contained in a clean, dry bandage.
- Symptoms likely to be Covid-19: at least two of the following symptoms: fever/chills, fatigue, body/muscle aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea/vomiting or diarrhea or at least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- Quarantine Period for symptoms likely to be Covid-19: The individual may return to school/work when fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset OR until the individual receives a negative PCR or antigen test OR until the individual receives a doctor's note indicating an alternative diagnosis for the symptoms and releasing the individual to return to school/work.
- Quarantine Period for Confirmed Covid-19: The individual may return to school/work when fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset AND symptoms have improved.
Contact Information
Email: christina.allen@pisd.edu
Website: https://www.pisd.edu/coviddashboard
Location: 7500 Marchman Way, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 469-752-2309