With all the activities at school, it is important to wear proper footwear.  Fashion aside, footwear should fit well and provide adequate support with shock absorbing-sole to the entire foot. It is also important to always wear athletic socks that help keep your feet dry and reduce the risk of blisters. Injuries can be prevented when attention is given to your shoe selection! Don’t forget to tie yourshoe laces!

 

A serious hit to the head can alter the way your brain functions.  This brain injury is called a concussion.  Injury to the head needs to be reported and get checked out by a doctor. Treatment is usually physical and mental rest.  A graduated "Return to Learn" and "Return to Play" protocol will be used to determine the student's readiness to resume participating in learning and physical activities.  Avoid any “thinking” activities that could make symptoms worse like using computer, texting, school work, reading, watching TV and/or playing video games.  Additionally, avoid bright lights and loud noises. Each case is different and a doctor should monitor until symptoms resolve.

Signs of concussion include…

• confusion, dizziness, or lightheadedness
• clumsiness or loss of balance
• memory loss
• difficulty concentrating
• irritability and other mood or personality changes
• headache
• nausea or vomiting
• loss of consciousness
• blurred or double vision
• sensitivity to light and noise

Seek emergency care when…

• a loss of consciousness
• severe headache
• blurred vision
• difficulty walking
• confusion
• slurred speech
• unresponsiveness

If your child has a suspected head injury and was removed from activities, Illinois law requires that the student be evaluated by a treating physician before returning to learn, practice or competition. The school nurse can work with you and your pediatrician so that your child can "Return to Learn" and "Return to Play." Please notify the school nurse to report suspected concussion injuries outside of school as well. For more information on concussion, check out Kids Health…

Parents:   http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/concussions.html

Kids:  http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/concussion.html?ref=search

 

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the “percentage of children aged 6-11 year in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012.” Physical activity along with a well balanced diet should be a routine part of promoting and maintaining health.  Limit screen time and get active! As the weather is getting warmer…enjoy playing outdoors, biking, or even taking a walk around the block.  

 

Benefits of Exercise…

• Burns calories and builds muscle
• Strengthens your bones and muscles
• Improves coordination, balance, and endurance
• Increases your energy level
• Relieves tension and stress

 

Get Physical!

 

Personal hygiene is a regular routine of personal care that keeps your whole body healthy and clean.  During our shelter in place...remember to continue to practice good personal hygiene to look and feel your best! Poor personal hygiene can lead to vulnerability to disease and illness, infections, tooth decay and loss, and problems with social acceptance.

Personal Care Involves:

• Washing and grooming
• Caring for you teeth and gums
• Eating a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables
• Getting rest and exercise

 Let’s all make a healthy goal of personal care! 

Promote dental health this month!

Maintaining healthy teeth include...

• Brush your teeth at least two minutes twice a day
• Floss every day
• Eat healthy foods
• Avoid sugary foods
• Visit the dentist every six months

Regular dental checkups are necessary for oral health. Healthy teeth are essential not only for chewing; but, also for speech and a great smile!  For more information, check out KidsHealth HERE

Winter weather is here!

Unless weather prohibiting, recess is held daily. It is important that all students dress properly outfitted with warm coats, hats and gloves or mittens. Boots and snow pants are required when playing in the snow. The American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Children website offers helpful tips for keeping warm and safe during the cold winter months and can be found on: Tips to Keep Kids Warm All Winter. The district goes by the Child Care Weather Watch for safe outdoor temperature guidelines.

Drink hot chocolate, bake a pie, build a snowman, make a snow angel, and try catching snowflakes on your tongue…the possibilities are endless!

Be safe and enjoy the winter!

 

Sleep is needed for the body and brain development and growth.  Adequate sleep promotes attention, creativity, mood stability, and even builds the immune system to fight off illness. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) provides guidelines regarding how much sleep children need at different stages of childhood.  "Children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health." It’s important to keep a daily routine. This means that the waking time, and sleep time is the  same every day.  Check out What Sleep Is and Why all Kids Need It on KidsHealth.  Make sleep a priority!

 

Resilience…

It’s an emotional strength.

It enables us to develop mechanisms for protection against experiences which could be overwhelming.

The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

Knowing how to cope in spite of setbacks, barriers, or limited resources.

Measures of how much we are able to overcome obstacles.

It helps us to maintain balance in our lives during difficult or stressful periods.

 

Do you know what a healthy plate looks like?  At a glance, it's what a healthy and balanced diet looks like! According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health...

• The more veggies and the greater the variety, the better
• Eat plenty of fruits of all colors
• Whole grains, brown rice, quinoa
• Limit red meats (beef, pork, lamb)
• Avoid processed meats (bacon, deli meats, hot dogs and sausages)
• Use healthy oils from plants like extra virgin olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oil
• Choose unflavored milk, plain yogurt, and small amounts of cheese
• Water is the best choice for quenching thirst; limit juice

Remember along with a helathy diet, it's important to be active to stay healthy!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your child's health issues with me, please me at (847) 745-3802.

 

1) Please keep sick children home. When Should a Child Stay Home? If the child exhibits any of the following:

• contagious disease (let the school office know)
• fever (temperature of 100.0 degrees or above).
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• incessant or deep cough
• red eye(s) with discharge and/or crusting on lashes and/or itching or pain
• unexplained rash
• obvious signs that your child cannot comfortably participate in class activities (even without a fever)

Symptoms should be absent for twenty-four hours before the student returns to school (fever-free without medication) and a physician’s note may be required. The student must remain home for 24 hours after vomiting and/or able to eat two regular meals without nausea or vomiting. Diarrhea should also be absent for 24 hours before your child returns to school.

 

2) Children need breakfast every morning. They go 10-12 hours without eating. It is important to get their bodies and brains going by feeding them a healthy breakfast. Children learn better and feel better with something in their tummies. Children who do not have breakfast have trouble learning and participating in class activities. Start the day right!

 

3) Please call the Health Office every day your child is absent from school at (847) 745-3800 or 3802.

 

If your child has a severe food allergy, asthma, diabetes, or a seizure disorder requiring medication, please fill out these forms as well with your child’s doctor. All medical forms can be downloaded from the Lincolnwood School District 74 website.

 

5) Please check your child regularly for lice. If you need information about lice and how to check your child’s head, visit cdc.gov or www.youtube.com and search for “Head Lice to Dead Lice”. After summer and winter vacations are the times when head lice are more common.

 

Thanks and have a great school year!