I am resending this letter from our school Nurse, Jennifer Dennison.   We are seeing an increase in the numbers of students we are sending home with a fever.   Please do not send your children to school if they are exhibiting signs of the flu or have a fever. 

Letter from Jennifer Dennison, School Nurse-------

As you know, our community is seeing an increase in flu cases and our school is no exception.  Our school has several children who are ill and are at home.  We thought this would be a good time to provide you with some information on how your family can help prevent the spread of flu.

1.       Talk to your doctor about the seasonal flu vaccine.  The New Mexico Department of Health is also a good source of information about vaccinations. 

2.       Good hand-washing has proven to be very effective in helping to fight the spread of flu germs.  Talk to your children about washing their hands often and thoroughly, using soap and water.  Teach your children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or into their sleeves - not directly into their hands.   At school, we continue to emphasize these simple tips, as well.

3.       Don't let your children share personal items, such as drinks, food or unwashed utensils.  Make sure your child brings a water bottle to school to reduce their chance of getting germs from drinking from water fountains.

4.       Clean frequently touched surfaces and items such as doorknobs, faucets, keyboards, and tables.  Also, throw away toothbrushes that have been used while sick.

5.       If you or your child has typical, mild flu-like symptoms, stay home and avoid public places.  If you or your children are at higher risk for complications, you should call your doctor.  Symptoms for seasonal flu are:  cough, sore throat, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headache, body aches, and feeling very tired.  A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100-degrees.  If you don't have a thermometer, a person may have a fever if he/she feels warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering. Some children might benefit from an antiviral medication, which can be prescribed by a physician and can help lesson the symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.  To be effective, antiviral medication must be taken within 48 hours after flu symptoms begin.

6.       Keep sick children at home for at least 24 -36 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever without using fever-reducing drugs.  Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of others who may get the flu.  

Don't forget - you and your child need to eat right, drink lots of water and get plenty of rest to help boost your body's immune systems.  Thank you for helping us to keep all of our children healthy.