Medical Information

Infections spread quickly at school. Home is the place for a sick child. If in any doubt please keep your child home. The school does not have the facilities to care adequately for a sick child. If you suspect the “pains” are imaginary please contact the school. Often a non-physical problem may be causing your child to be upset and not wanting to come to school.

Medication: Should it be necessary for your child to take medicine, tablets for non-infectious illnesses, etc., during school hours, complete written instructions as to dosage and time should be given to the class teacher by the parent. Under no circumstances should medication be brought to the teacher by the child.

Disabilities: The school and the teacher should always be informed of any disability (e.g.., sight, hearing, speech, or any chronic illness such as asthma, that need constant medication) as well as any allergies that your child may have. Such information is treated in strict confidence, but is most important for the child’s well-being.

Emergencies: Please help us to take the best possible care of your child by keeping the information on the emergency file up to date (e.g. change in workplace, telephone, address). Two emergency contacts on the form are most helpful. Many distressing hours have been wasted while staff have frantically tried to contact parents.

Head- Lice: The schools head lice policy outlines procedures in case of outbreaks. Provided we have parental consent a Shire representative will check your child's hair should more than two cases of head lice have been reported in any one class. This is a continual problem in schools, and can be picked up by any child, including the well-cared for. Small children especially tend to put their heads together which make it very easy for the problem to spread. It is advisable to check your children’s hair at least twice a week, and please notify the school if your child does become infected.

Lunch: At school children are encouraged to eat all their lunch, so please try and provide sufficient without being too much to manage. Most children enjoy a small snack at morning recess, e.g. cheese, fruit or sultanas.

Sleep: Please make sure your child is getting adequate sleep. A child who comes to school tired is less likely to perform well, and enjoy the activities. If by any chance you do have a late night, consider letting your child sleep in - although normally punctual attendance is expected and appreciated.

Accidents at School

In the case of accidents or sudden illnesses the following procedures are used:

Serious Cases: A teacher will give help and remain with the student until appropriate assistance arrives. The Principal or the Assistant Principal is notified and the parents are immediately telephoned if possible.

If the school is unable to contact any parent or guardian listed on the emergency form, medical treatment deemed necessary will be undertaken. All of the medical costs will be the responsibility of the parents. Details of these cases are reported to the Directorate of School Education.

Minor Cases: When a student becomes mildly unwell or suffers a minor accident, appropriate first aid is given and the child is placed in the sick bay, (situated near the general office) which contains a bed, hot and cold water and a first aid kit. If appropriate the parent is then contacted and asked to collect the child from school. Minor accidents are recorded in the School’s Accident Register.

School Medicals

School Medical Examinations

School nursing staff, with school medical officers available in support, conduct health examinations of state school children in the Preparatory Year.

The nurses also:

• accept referrals by parents, teachers and children where a child has health and/or welfare problems.

• refer children with health problems to their general practitioner or other appropriate agency, with the written permission of parents.

• review children referred for action, who have special needs or with borderline results from a previous examination.

School Dental Services

The revised School Dental Service provides a fee for service coverage of all Primary School Children. The service is FREE for dependants of health card holders and wards of the state. For non health card holders there is a fee of $25.00 per child (maximum $100.00 per family) which includes a dental checkup and all general dental treatment.

Infectious Diseases: Exclusion from School

The principal is required to exclude children according to the following table, under the Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1990. Note that the regulations require the parent or guardian to inform the principal as soon as practicable if the child is infected with any of the diseases listed in the table or has been in contact with an infected person. It should be noted that in cases of diphtheria, typhoid and paratyphoid fever exclusion and determination of recovery will be matters for the principal Medical Officer of Health.

“Contact” means child of school age or preschool age living in the same house as the patient, “patient” includes carrier and “school” includes any preschool centre, kindergarten, primary school or secondary school. A patient or contact shall be prevented from attending school unless conditions in the following chart as prescribed are complied with.

Infectious Diseases - Exclusion from school chart