Welcome
Nurse's Station
Mrs. Colleen Mace, R.N.
Welcome to the Horizon school nurse's page. Having healthy children learning in safe surroundings is my goal. Please contact me with any concerns you have so that we can work together to achieve that goal. My number is 623-842-8200, ext. 5005.
Mrs. Mace
If you don't have insurance, I have information on Kids Care that can provide insurance and information on low-cost health care.
Immunization Information:State law requires a series of three hepatitis B shots and a second MMR for students in kindergarten through third grade and students in seventh and eighth grades. If your child will be in seventh grade next year, please start the series soon since it will take about six months to complete it. I have a list of free clinics that you can use. Just call me!
Is my child ill enough to stay home from school?
A child should be kept home---
- if a fever has been present any time in the last 24 hours
- if the child has been on medication for an infection for less than 24 hours
- if the child has been ill and has a rash
- if, in your judgment, the child will be unable to concentrate due to illness or injury
- if the child has a loud, persistent cough that will disturb the rest of the class
Medication on Campus:
Students should bring medications to the nurse's office immediately upon arrival. Medications will be administered in the nurse's office if the nurse has the medication in the original container along with a permission slip or note signed by the parent.
PE Excuses:
The child should bring the note excusing the child from physical education/recess to the nurse. Excuses for longer than two weeks require a note from the physician.
Time to Clean Out Your Medicine Storage Area..........which shouldn't be in your bathroom. It's too humid to be a good storage place. Please throw away any prescription or over-the-counter drugs that are more than one year old or expired for the following reasons:
- Inappropriate use of "leftover" antibiotics increases the possibiity of drug resistant strains.
- Taking antibiotics before the doctor does any testing can interfere with a proper diagnosis.
- Expired medications may be less effective or even dangerous.
- There is the risk of an allergic reaction or a drug interaction.
**Remember, take all of the antibiotics prescribed (not just until you feel better) so that there are no leftover antibiotics later.
There are more than a thousand products that can be misused including butane propane, gasoline, refrigerants, degreasers, typewriter correction fluid, nitrous oxide ("whippets"), canned refrigerated whipping cream, spray paint, paint thinner, nail polish, computer cleaner, air freshener and cooking spray. Using inhalants can cause sudden death. Long-term effects include brain, respiratory, liver, kidney and bone marrow damage, short-term memory loss and hearing impairment.
Please talk to your children about drug abuse. Tell them you love them and want them to be well and healthy. Tell them not to use drugs.
Does your child snore?
The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that if your child snores, he/she should be checked for sleep apnea. Half a million children ages 2 to 8 snore. The sleep difficulty may result in daytime tiredness, learning difficulties, slow physical growth, behavior problems or being diagnosed with attention deficit disorders. It may also result in bed-wetting and mildly high blood pressure.
Reye's Syndrome
Reye's Syndrome is a very serious disease that you should know about. Some people develop Reye's Syndrome as they are getting over a viral illness, such as the flu or chicken pox, 3 to 5 days after the illness starts. Symptoms of the syndrome include continuous vomiting, listlessness, drowsiness, personality change, disorientation or confusion, combativeness, delirium, convulsions and loss of consciousness.
Using aspirin or aspirin-containing medications to treat the symptoms of viral illnesses increases the chance of developing Reye's Syndrome. If you, or a member of your family, have a viral illness, do not use aspirin or aspirin-containing medications.
Aspirin and combination products containing aspirin should not be taken by anyone under 19 years of age during fever-causing illnesses.
Aspirin is part of the salicylate family of medicines. Another name for aspirin is acetylsalicylate; some drug labels may use the words acetylsalicylate, acetylsalicylic acid, salicylic acid, salicylate, etc., instead of the word "aspirin". Products that you may not think about as containing aspirin or as being related to aspirin are Alka-Seltzer, Excedrin and Pepto-Bismol.
Message from TheAntiDrug.com to Parents: WAKE UP TO THE RISKS OF MARIJUANA
Marijuana puts kids at risk. More kids use marijuana than any other illicit drug, by far. Marijuana use can lead to a host of significant health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in a young person's development. The drug is more potent than it used to be, and its effects can be more intense. Getting high can also impair judgment, which can lead to risky decisions on issues like sex, criminal activity or riding with someone who is driving while high.
Don't be fooled by popular beliefs. Kids can get hooked on pot. Research shows that marijuana use can lead to addiction.
Did you know…
• In the last decade, the number of 8th graders who have used marijuana has doubled.
• More teens enter treatment for marijuana abuse each year than for all other illicit drugs combined.
• Your words and actions matter. The earlier you talk to your kids about marijuana, the less likely they will be to use it.
Time and again, kids say their parents are the single most important influence when it comes to drugs. So this message needs to start with you. Kids need to hear how risky marijuana use can be. They need to know how damaging it can be to their lives. And they need to begin by listening to someone they trust.
If you're not talking to your kids about the risks of marijuana, they might be getting the wrong message.
Special interest websites: You will be leaving Horizon Web Site when you go to these sites. Be sure to hit the "back" button to return.
FreeBreather.com This site has a "kids' corner" which explains asthma to children.
This page made by: Horizon School Technology Group