Medical Information

Administration of Medication

If your child requires medication to be administered during the school day, the medication must be:

  • prescribed by a doctor and have appropriate written instructions.
  • provided by the parent/caregiver in the original container clearly labelled with the child’s name and delivered to the Front Office, with the Administration of Medication form.

Most medications are stored in the Front Office, but some older children do carry their puffers in their school bags.

In these cases, an Asthma medication and Health Care Plan needs to be signed stating the child can self-administer (paper work will be kept in the office). If this is obtained, we ask that you discuss with your children issues around the medication. For example, not sharing puffers, informing their teacher when they have used it, dangers of over usage, and safe storage.

It is not appropriate for any child to have any other medication in their school bags or tray eg Panadol, vitamins, cough mixture etc.  Even over the counter medications need the paper work completed and be managed by the classroom teacher or the Front Office.

If you require any further information, or your child has complex medical needs, please contact the Front Office for further information or advice.

Medical Conditions

The  Action Plan, pertaining to your child’s medical condition,  needs to be updated annually and each time the child’s management plan is changed. Any medication required needs to be supplied at the time of submitting the form.  Forms can be obtained from the School Office.

If your child has anaphylaxis, please ensure your doctor completes and SIGNS the Action Plan for Anaphylaxis and return it to the office together with the above form.

Communicable Disease

The school is required to report various communicable diseases to the Department of Health.  Various communicable diseases require exclusion from the school.  

Full information can be found in the Communicable Disease Guidelines.

If you are worried about a child’s health, always seek medical advice or call healthdirect Australia on telephone 1800 022 222 (24 hours).

 

Head Lice

What are Head Lice

  • Head lice are tiny insect parasites that live on your head and feed on your scalp (the skin covering your head).
  • They reproduce by laying their eggs (nits) on your hair shaft (the part of your hair closest to the scalp).
  • Head lice are not dangerous, do not carry diseases, and are not a sign of poor hygiene (cleanliness).

If You Find Head Lice

  1. Check to see if anyone else living in your house has head lice – use the hair conditioner method.
  2. Choose the treatment method that best suits you and your family and follow the instructions carefully.
  3. Inform your school, child care centre, playgroup, neighbours and relatives so that other children and adults who have been in close contact can be checked.
  4. When the treatment is completed and all head lice and eggs have been removed, continue to check hair weekly for further outbreaks.

How Do People Catch Head Lice

  • Head lice spread by head-to-head contact with another person who has head lice.
  • This kind of contact includes group work at school, playing or hugging.
  • Head lice can run from one head to another in seconds.
  • They cannot fly, jump or swim, but they can swing from one hair to another.
  • Brushes and combs are unlikely to spread head lice or their eggs as they are very hard to detach from the hair shaft.
  • Head lice are not spread through bed linen, clothing or head gear (hats and helmets) because they do not leave the scalp unless they are moving to another person, or when they are dead or dying.

Stay Home From School

​Under the School Education Act 1999, if your child has head lice the Principal may keep him or her away from school until treatment has started. Your child may return to school when all live head lice have been removed. There is no need to stay away from school if there are only a few remaining eggs, but you must continue treatment over the following 10 days to ensure that all eggs and hatchlings have been removed.

Signs and Symptoms

​Your scalp may itch as your skin reacts to the saliva of the head lice. This itchiness can take weeks to develop. If you have had head lice before, your skin may become less sensitive and there may be little or no itch.

You may also be able to see head lice crawling in your hair, although they can be difficult to spot as they move quickly.Adult lice are usually dark brown and about 2 to 3 mm long.

Hatchlings (young lice) are often a lighter brown colour and about 1 to 2 mm long.  Eggs will be attached to the hair shaft. They can be very tiny and hard to see, especially newly-laid eggs close to the scalp. They are grey-white and about the size of a grain of salt.