Health Services

The Sweet Home Central School District is staffed with registered professional nurses in each of its schools. Our district nurses are dedicated to ensuring that your child has a safe and healthy school year. We encourage you to contact your school’s health office to answer your questions or discuss any of your concerns.

EMERGENCIES:

When an emergency arises, either during or after school hours, every effort is made to notify parents or the emergency contacts provided.  In extreme emergencies and when parents or their designees are not able to be contacted, the student's health and safety may necessitate transportation by ambulance to a hospital.

STUDENT HEALTH INFORMATION:

Each student has an individual health file in the School Health Office.  This file includes immunization dates, screening data for height, weight, body mass index, vision, hearing, scoliosis, along with physical exam summaries and other health history information.

As if dealing with COVID-19 is not enough, flu season is upon us.  This year, it is highly recommended that anyone over the age of 6 months receive a flu shot. 

The symptoms of the seasonal flu are very similar to those of COVID-19.  In general, the only way to REALLY know what you have is to be tested. 

Both the flu and COVID-19 can cause fever, aches, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue and headache ( and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea).  The difference is that COVID seems to hit harder and includes a loss of taste or smell for many people.

Both the flu and COVID-19 are spread mainly by droplets, but COVID-19 has been shown to spread more easily to a larger group of people.  A person infected with COVID-19 may take up to 14 days to have symptoms, but someone infected with the flu usually becomes ill within 4 days.

The flu can be treated with antiviral medications to help lessen the symptoms and the length of illness.  There currently are no antiviral medications that are effective against COVID-19.

If anyone in your family develops flu-like symptoms, please contact your health care provider right away, and stay home from work or school.  Flu testing is available through your primary care provider, but not at the county and state COVID testing sites.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your school nurse. 

Additional information:

The Flu: A guide for parents

Fight the flu at home and school