A migraine is a severe headache that come and go, lasting from one hour as long as 3 days. Migraine often has associated symptoms that include: nausea or vomiting or  light sensitivity and sound sensitivity. A minority of children will have an aura (preceding symptom) before the onset of the migraine. Auras are classically thought to be visual, but can affect his speech or involve feelings of numbness in the face and arm. 

If your child suffers from Migraines, please print out the Migraine Action Plan, bring it to your doctor, have them complete and sign, and bring it to your school office.  

• Definition: tears, pain redness of eye(s) with a yellow discharge; eyelashes stuck together on awakening.  May be followed by sensitivity to light and have swelling around the eye.  This can be a bacterial infection that requires a prescription, or it can be a viral infections.  It is spread by means of contaminated fingers and articles, such as eye makeup, pencils or toys.  Allergies may also cause redness and tearing of the eyes.

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• Incubation Period 24-72 hours

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• Exclusion:  Student may return to school when symptom free or on the recommendation of the health care professional.  Students placed on medication are usually excluded for a period of 24 hours after starting treatment.

The symptoms of viral pneumonia usually are: 

• Low fever
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
• Chest pain
• Sore throat
• Coughing that usually brings up only a small amount of mucus

Bacterial pneumonia usually has these symptoms: 

• High fever
• Cough with thick greenish or rust-colored mucus
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid breathing
• Sharp chest pain that is worse with deep breaths
• Abdominal pain
• Severe fatigue
• You may also notice chills, heavy sweating, and mental confusion.

Bacterial pneumonia in children may have these symptoms: 

• Labored and rapid breathing (more than 45 breaths a minute)
• Sudden onset of fever
• Cough
• Wheezing
• Bluish skin, lips, or fingertips 

Mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms include: 

• Violent attacks of coughing that bring up only a small amount of mucus
• Chills and fever
• Nausea or vomiting
• Weakness for up to a month

When to Call Your Doctor About Pneumonia
Call your doctor if you have any of the symptoms of pneumonia. Most of the time, you will need immediate treatment to get better and avoid complications. Also call your doctor if: 

• Your sharp chest pain does not get better.
• Your shortness of breath gets worse.
• Your fingernails, toenails, or skin become dark or turn bluish. 
• You cough up blood.

 
Understanding Pneumonia Symptoms

Bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep) can cause many different infections. These infections range from minor illnesses to very serious and deadly diseases. Learn more below about some of these infections, including symptoms, risk factors, treatment options, and how to prevent them.

Strep Throat

Strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils.  It is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria and is most common in children age 5 through 15 years old.   

The most common symptoms are: 

• Sore throat, which usually starts quickly and can cause swallowing to be painful 
• Fever 
• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks 
• Tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth 
• Swelling in the front of the neck

Other symptoms: 

• Headache 
• Stomach pain 
• Nausea or vomiting.   
• Rash (if this happens it is called Scarlet Fever) 

Symptoms usually start 1 to 3 days after a person has had contact with a sick person.  

How is strep throat spread? 

• Coughing and sneezing 
• Touching your mouth, nose, or eyes after touching something that a sick person has sneezed on, coughed on, or touched 

A person who is diagnosed with strep throat will stop being able to spread the infection approximately 24 hours after starting an antibiotic from the doctor. 

What can I do now? 

Call your child’s doctor or health care provider if your child becomes sick.  A doctor can do a test to see if a person has strep throat.  If the test is positive, the doctor might prescribe antibiotics. 

If your child gets sick, prevent others from getting ill by: 

• Washing your hands often. 
• Not sharing eating utensils such as forks and cups. 
• Sneezing and coughing into the arm or shoulder, not the hand. 
• Stay home until 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment. 
• Clean objects and commonly touched items, such as toys and TV remote controls, that a sick person has touched. 

For more information, contact your health care provider, your School Nurse, the Marin County Health Department at 415-473-4163, or visit: CDC: Group A Strep Infection

Impetigo

Impetigo is an illness caused by the same bacteria that also causes strep throat and scarlet fever , called  Group A Streptococcus.

It causes: 

• Red sores on the face, especially around a child’s nose and mouth, and on the hands and feet.  The  sores burst and develop yellow crusts. 
• Sometimes fever, headache, tiredness, and lack of appetite 

Most people only have skin sores, but rarely the bacteria can travel to other parts of the body and create infections in the eyes, lungs, or brain. 

Impetigo can be a serious illness for newborns and people with chronic illnesses.   It occurs most often in crowded living areas, summer camps, in warm weather, and while playing contact sports.

What can I do now?
Call your child’s doctor or health care provider if your child is sick.  Your child may be prescribed antibiotics, either in a topical cream or pill form. 

If your child gets sick, prevent others from getting ill by: 

• Washing his or her hands well and often. 
• Covering any open sores with a bandage. 
• Not sharing bath towels with a sick person. 
• Washing sheets, pillowcases, and towels daily while a person is sick.

How is impetigo spread? 

• By touching the fluid from an open sore 
• By sharing a bath towel or products with a person who has impetigo 
• Rarely from coughing and sneezing 

This illness is spread most often when a person has open sores that are draining.

If my child has this disease, when can he or she return to school or child care? 

Children with impetigo may NOT attend school or child care if they have fever or are unusually tired, or if they have open sores on their hands.  Children may attend school with sores on other parts of their body as long as the sores are covered with a bandage.

For more information, contact your health care provider, your School Nurse, the Marin County Health Department at 415 4163, or visit: CDC: Group A Strep Infection

• If your child has had or develops any of the symptoms listed below, please contact your child’s medical provider. Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease. However, even children who have been immunized against pertussis are susceptible to infection. Pertussis is most severe in the first year of life, particularly for preterm infants.
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• School policy excludes children from school until antibiotic treatment has started. In the case of pertussis, 5 days of antibiotic therapy must be completed before the child may return to school. The child should be feeling well and the cough should be manageable prior to return to school. The full course of antibiotics must be completed to prevent relapse. If antibiotics are not given or not completed, the child may be excluded for 21 days from the onset of the cough. A note from the physician may be requested for return to school.
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• CAUSATIVE AGENT: A bacterium, Bordetella pertussis.
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• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS: Symptoms usually start with a low grade fever, runny nose and a cough that becomes progressively more severe. The severe coughing may persist for up to 10 weeks. The characteristic "whoop" during the coughing occurs in young children and may not be present in older children or adults.
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• INCUBATION PERIOD: Usually 7 to 10 days after exposure, but can be up to 21 days.
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• COMMUNICABILITY: Most contagious during the catarrhal (cold-like) stage, before the onset of spasmodic coughing. Infectiousness may continue for 3 weeks (21 days) after onset of cough if not treated with antibiotics. 
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• METHOD OF TRANSMISSION: Transmission is airborne by coughing, sneezing or exposure to nose and throat secretions.
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• PREVENTION: Immunity (protection) from vaccination generally lasts at least 5 years, but may last as long as 10 years. Immunity generally begins to decrease around 5 to 7 years after vaccination. State law requires the Tdap booster prior to Grade 7. A TDap booster vaccine has been approved by the FDA and recommended for people 11-64 years of age.
• Tdap Requirement for Students Entering 7th Grade
  
  Tdap VACCINE:  Prior to beginning 7th grade, all students are required by law to have a whooping cough booster (Tdap vaccine).   If your child has not had a Tdap vaccine, please schedule an appointment as soon as possible with your doctor and submit documentation to the MVMS school office.  Boosters may be available at local pharmacies, who can bill your medical insurance.  If your child has already had a Tdap vaccine, please provide a copy of the record to the MVMS school office as soon as possible.