COMMUNICABLE
DISEASES:
When an outbreak of a communicable disease (such
as pertussis, hepatitis A, etc.) occurs among students in
the school district, school nurses and the health services
coordinator work closely with the Spokane
Regional Health District to identify the exact
extent of the illness, inform parents of the potential for
illness, and assist in every way possible in the prevention
of further spread of the illness. The Spokane Regional
Health District takes the lead in any situation which might
impact the health of the community.
COMMUNICABLE
CONDITIONS:
One
of the most prominent and frustrating communicable conditions
commonly found in schools is head lice. Although there
may be other conditions which can be passed to others (such
as scabies), head lice are the focus of on-going concern in
the schools.
The
following information has been provided by the Spokane Regional
Health District for schools to send to parents of children
in a classroom in which lice has been discovered.
~ Click here
for head lice information. ~
REPORTING
OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES:
Each
week schools are asked to report the occurrence of specific
communicable diseases to the Spokane Regional Health District.
The incidence of these diseases is tallied by the health district
and the numbers forwarded to the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The CDC receives these same types
of numbers from every state, and with them is able to
identify disease trends in the United States on an on-going
basis.
In
order to identify the specific diseases which require reporting,
school staff communicate with parents to request the reason
for a student's absence.
Communicable
disease reporting contact persons:
|
