Health Programme
The objectives of the school health programme are to:
- Provide initial first aid and treatment of minor ailments.
- Administer medication when authorised to.
- Promote healthy lifestyles and disease prevention.
- Assess need and call emergency services.
- Organise and coordinate health screening programmes.
- Maintain up-to-date student medical records and vaccines.
Illness at School
If a child is too ill to remain in class, they will be sent to the sick bay. After a period of rest and assessment, the child's parent may be called to pick up the student. Any student who develops a fever or exhibits any of the symptoms below will be sent home as soon as a parent or assigned guardian is able to pick up the student:
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Dizziness
- Injury where there is swelling, severe pain, or question of a sprain or broken bone
- Excessive coughing
- Excessive nasal drainage
- Eye injury
- Rash accompanied with fever
Health Policy
Students with a fever (>100.0°F / >38.0°C), diarrhoea, or vomiting may not attend school, so that infectious conditions are not spread to classmates and staff. Parents must notify the school immediately if a child has contracted a contagious disease. The school will inform parents of other students who may have come into contact with the contagious disease and notify them of symptoms. Children who need to take antibiotics for an infectious disease must remain at home until they have completed a full 72 hours of antibiotics, to ensure they are no longer contagious. After an ailment, a child should be symptom-free for a day or two before returning to school. For chicken pox specifically: from the first appearance of the rash until all blisters are dried and crusted over, children must not be in school.
Medication at School
If a child needs to take prescribed medication during school hours, regularly or for a short period of time, parents are required to meet with the school administrator and provide written prescriptions (this includes asthma inhalers). No child may self-administer medication. Medications must be stored in the students' compartments or the fridge and administered by the school teacher under the supervision of the school admin.
Emergencies
In the case of a serious emergency, the school will contact an emergency support service as a first priority, and thereafter the parents as soon as possible. Parents must ensure that the school has current emergency contact details for parents/guardians and for the family's doctor and clinic of choice.