April 12, 2010

Dear KIS Parents,

With flu season here, many parents across the country are finding themselves caring for children who are sick with influenza. In our school, absenteeism and nurse’s office visits have been more than twice as high as normal, with an increasing number of students either absent or sent home due to flu-like symptoms. It is important that we work together to keep our children healthy. Viruses spread easily among children in schools, and families with school-age children have more infections than others. You can help prevent the spread of flu or help your child get better if he/she does get sick by following a few simple steps: 

• Remind your child to cover his/her nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and dispose of the tissue immediately
• Have your child wash his/her hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
• Disinfect frequently-touched surfaces and shared items at least once a day
• Ensure that bathrooms are stocked with soap, hand towels and tissues
• Teach your child not to touch his/her mouth, nose and eyes
• If your child is sick and has a fever (of 37.8 degrees or higher), keep him/her at home to prevent the spread of illness to others

A parent’s decision to keep a child home from school when he or she is sick can sometimes be a difficult one.  No parent wants to interrupt their child’s learning.  However, if he or she has an illness such as influenza, it’s important for the child to stay home from school.  By taking this step, parents can help their children get better faster as well as prevent the spread of illness to others.

If you are concerned about your child’s flu symptoms, see your doctor early.  See your doctor immediately if your child has a chronic disease.  Common symptoms of flu include high fever, severe headache, muscle and body aches, exhaustion, and dry cough.  Additionally, children often

 exhibit other flu symptoms that are rare in adults, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  Some children might benefit from an antiviral medication, which can be prescribed by a physician and can help lessen duration of the virus and reduce the risk of complications, such as pneumonia. 

The student exhibiting influenza-like symptoms with a fever at school will be managed through the following procedures. The student will:

• Be referred to the school nurse for assessment

• The students’ parent will be called to pick up his/her child immediately

• Student will stay in a separate room as much as possible until he/she is picked up

• Be dismissed from school by the parent/guardian or a parent-approved emergency contact person only

• See a doctor and obtain a doctor’s note

• Stay at home until the illness is resolved

• See the school nurse immediately upon returning to school and submit a doctor’s note to the nurse’s office. The school nurse will determine whether they are cleared to return to class or sent home

If you have any questions, please contact school nurse below.
Raina Kim, RN, Gaepo campus school nurse at 02-561-0509(#141)

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Warm regards,

Richard Boerner

Director