Health services

In 2023, as we entered the third year of the COVID-19 vaccine, and standards for booster shots continued to evolve, Gordon issued this community wellness statement, in alignment with recommendations from the Rhode Island Department of Health, posting it on the doors of the school.

Gordon’s mission asks that community members take care of one another, and our individual health and safety choices are a key part of that practice. We expect that anyone entering Gordon’s campus is aware of the importance of vaccinations and is making informed choices to help keep this community safe from contagion.

It is important to keep the nurse briefed on any medical treatment or medication that students are receiving, even if it is administered outside of school hours. Similarly, the nurse should be informed of injuries that occur outside school hours, especially head injuries.

For safety reasons, students may not keep medications in their possession during the school day. A parent or guardian must give the nurse any medication, with written authorization and instructions on how it should be dispensed.

The nurse may administer nonprescription medication, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen, only if the parent has provided prior written approval. To administer prescription medications, written permission from the child’s physician and the parents or caregiver must be on file. Prescription medications must be in their original containers, but simply sending the prescription bottle to school with the student is not enough.

In the event of a health emergency, Gordon will make every effort to contact parents or the persons indicated above. If we are unable to reach any of the above, we will assume we have your permission to use 911 emergency services to bring your child to the nearest available doctor or hospital. A Gordon employee will remain with your child until a family member arrives.

If a child has one of the following symptoms, they need to stay home:

• A new or unexplained cough that doesn’t go away
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fever at or above 100.4
• Vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Signs of an eye infection - redness, oozing, or yellow/green discharge

If a child has two or more of the following symptoms, they need to stay home:

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nasal congestion
• Muscle or body aches
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Please email nurse@gordonschool.org if your child is sick and explain what symptoms they have. The nurse monitors illness trends in every classroom and grade, and it’s a huge help to have that information readily available. If your child is diagnosed with an illness like RSV, COVID-19, strep, or the flu, please let the nurse know as soon as possible. 

Also, if someone in your child's household tests positive for COVID-19, please let the nurse's office know. Your child will be permitted to attend school as long as they are fever-free.
 

• Fever: may return when fever-free for twenty-four hours without the use of fever-reducing medication such as ibuprofen or Tylenol.
   
• Shortness of breath: may return when shortness of breath has improved and has been cleared by a medical provider.
   
• Coughing: may return when cough is improving, mild and infrequent, and has been evaluated by a medical provider if warranted. 
   
• Vomiting or diarrhea: may return when free of vomiting or diarrhea for twenty-four hours without the use of medication, and after being seen by a medical provider if necessary
   
• Eye infection: may return after taking antibiotic drops or ointment for twenty-four hours, or otherwise has been cleared by their doctor
   
• Other cold symptoms: may return when symptoms are improving.
   

In March 2024, the CDC announced that people who test positive for COVID-19 do not always need to be isolated for five days. This change brought COVID-19 guidelines into alignment with the recommendations for other respiratory illnesses such as RSV and the flu, and simplifies Gordon's overall message: if you are sick, stay home , and if your child is sick, have them stay home.  

At this time, Gordon stopped updating a running tally of COVID-positive cases 

Families should accept the default position that, at any given time, any student who attends Gordon is probably a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.

Gordon will continue to notify families when there is a significant increase in COVID in a particular grade, as we currently do with strep, the flu, stomach illness etc.

If your child requires medication during the day, including EpiPens or inhalers, they must have new orders from their provider every school year. 

Here are Gordon's versions of three key permission forms. You can download and print them, sign them and forward them to your family doctor. Your signature is required at the top of these forms for medications, inhalers, and EpiPens! The health office requires both parental consent and a physician's signature to administer any of these items. 

Medication consent
Inhaler permission
EpiPen permission

If your child uses an inhaler or an EpiPen, we strongly recommend that they also have an “action plan” completed by their pediatrician. Please have your family doctor complete the appropriate forms linked below.

Anaphylaxis care plan
Asthma action plan
 

Requirements for students entering licensed DHS center-based and in-home child care facilities

• 4 doses of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine1 dose of Flu vaccine each year
• 2 doses of Hepatitis A vaccine
• 3 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine
• 3 doses of Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine
• 1 dose of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine
• 4 doses of Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine (not routinely given to healthy children 5 years of age and older)
• 3 doses of Polio vaccine
• 2 doses of Rotavirus vaccine
• 1 dose of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

A student entering Kindergarten must have met the pre-Kindergarten immunization requirements (above), plus:

• 1 dose of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine
• 1 dose of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine
• 1 dose of Polio vaccine
• 1 dose of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
   

A student entering seventh grade must have met the pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten immunization requirements, plus:

• 1 dose of HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine
• 1 dose of Meningococcal Conjugate (MCV4) vaccine
• 1 dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine
   

A student entering eighth grade must have met the seventh grade immunization requirements, plus:

• 2 doses of HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine

See www.gordonschool.org/afterschoolhealth

We monitor air quality using  and the

Gordon monitors air quality using tools from airnow.gov  and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and Rhode Island DEM guidelines and EPA guidance drive this protocol. Air quality is monitored when wildfires or other phenomena degrade air quality, and adjustments are made, as needed, to the schedule on a day-by-day basis. 

With AQI ratings under 150, the general public is not likely to be strongly affected, and the guidance is that the general public is safe to perform regularly scheduled outdoor activities.

For Air Quality Index numbers between 50-150, our current protocol is:

• No change to regularly scheduled outdoor recess
• Students who are sensitive to air quality changes may come inside for recess and stay in my office, or stay inside with another faculty member if they choose
• Students are sent to my office for an evaluation if they complain of respiratory symptoms or eye irritation
• Maximum one hour outdoors during after school activities, with same precautions outlined above for sensitive groups

We closely monitor students in the “sensitive group” category who have respiratory conditions, and we will be in touch with you if your student requires additional support during the day. 

Pneumonia is an infection that affects the lungs and can have many different causes including bacteria or a virus. In children, pneumonia is most frequently caused by a virus. When pneumonia is caused by a virus, the symptoms usually have a slow onset and are typically mild. Pneumonia itself is not typically contagious, however the virus or bacteria that causes pneumonia can be infectious and cause other similar respiratory illnesses.

In a healthy person, the lungs have small pockets or sacs that are typically filled with air. During a case of pneumonia, these sacs can instead become filled with fluid. If you suspect your child has pneumonia, please contact your child’s healthcare provider for an evaluation.

Below, I’ve prepared a basic primer on the signs and symptoms of pneumonia so you may monitor your child for symptoms. 
 

Typical symptoms of pneumonia

Please monitor your children for the following symptoms of pneumonia:

• Fever
• Cough
• Chills
• Fast breathing, wheezing or grunting while breathing, or working hard to breathe
• Vomiting
• Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Being less active, tired, or fatigued
• Loss of appetite

If you believe your child may have pneumonia please keep them home from school and call your pediatrician.
 

What causes pneumonia?

Pneumonia has many different potential causes. The most common cause in children is through a virus. The virus can be contracted by breathing respiratory droplets from an infected person, or by touching a surface that has infected respiratory droplets on it, then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. 

Sometimes, pneumonia can be caused by a bacteria that gets into the airways, or in rare cases, it can be transmitted through fungus inhaled into the lungs. In bacterial pneumonia, you may see a more sudden onset of symptoms, with a more severe course of illness. 

How is pneumonia diagnosed and treated?

Pneumonia is diagnosed by your pediatrician after evaluation of symptoms. Many times, pneumonia can be diagnosed just on the physical exam alone after listening to the lungs and obtaining vital signs, however your doctor may want to do a chest x-ray for a diagnosis.

If your pediatrician thinks that your child’s pneumonia was from a virus, it does not need antibiotics. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, and have no effect against viral infections. If your pediatrician thinks the pneumonia was from a bacteria, an antibiotic will be prescribed.
 

How can I prevent pneumonia?

The best way to prevent pneumonia is through the same precautions we are already using in school: frequent handwashing, not sharing food or eating or drinking utensils, cleaning surfaces after they are used, and covering the mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. The next best mode of prevention is through staying home when you are not feeling well, and by seeing your pediatrician for any concerning symptoms before returning to school. 

For more information on pneumonia see: https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/index.html

Thank you for reading this carefully and for checking your child for symptoms. If you have any questions or concerns that your child may have pneumonia, please contact your child’s health care provider for an evaluation.

 

Croup is a viral infection of the upper airway which causes swelling around the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, which narrows the breathing pathways. This narrowing produces a barking cough that is very characteristic of the disease. Children with croup may also have a high pitched “whistling” sound when they breathe, called stridor. 

Croup is a mild disease that typically resolves on its own. However it should be closely monitored due to its involvement with the airway. 

Below, I’ve prepared a basic primer on the signs and symptoms of croup so you may monitor your child for symptoms. 
 

Typical symptoms of croup

Please monitor your children for the following symptoms of croup:

• Loud “barking” cough that is worsened by crying, coughing, and anxiety
• Coughing that is worse at night
• Fever
• Hoarse voice
• Breathing that is noisy or labored

If you believe your child may have croup please keep them home from school and call your pediatrician.
 

What causes croup?

Croup can be caused by multiple different respiratory viruses, however the most common is the parainfluenza virus. The virus can be contracted by breathing respiratory droplets from an infected person, or by touching a surface that has infected respiratory droplets on it, then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. 
 

How is croup diagnosed and treated?

Croup is diagnosed by your pediatrician after evaluation of symptoms. Many times, croup can be diagnosed just on symptoms alone, but your doctor may want to do a chest x-ray or blood test. 

Normally, croup resolves on its own. Your doctor may recommend or prescribe an inhaled medication for respiratory symptoms or an oral or intravenous steroid to help reduce the inflammation in the airway. 
 

How can I prevent croup?

The best way to prevent croup is through the same precautions we are already using in school: frequent handwashing, not sharing food or eating or drinking utensils, cleaning surfaces after they are used, and covering the mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. The next best mode of prevention is through staying home when you are not feeling well, and by seeing your pediatrician for any concerning symptoms before returning to school. 

For more information on the parainfluenza virus and croup see: https://www.cdc.gov/parainfluenza/about/index.html

Thank you for reading this carefully and for checking your child for symptoms. If you have any questions or concerns that your child may have croup, please contact your child’s health care provider for an evaluation.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is a mild, contagious viral infection that is most commonly seen in children under the age of seven years old. The disease is characterized by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. 

Below, I’ve prepared a basic primer on the signs and symptoms of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease so you may monitor your child for symptoms. 
 

Typical symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Please monitor your children for the following symptoms of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Generalized malaise or feeling sick.
• Painful, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks.
• A rash on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks. The rash is not itchy, but sometimes it has blisters. Depending on skin tone, the rash may appear red, white, gray, or only show as tiny bumps.
• Fussiness in infants and toddlers.
• Loss of appetite.

If you believe your child may have Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease please keep them home from school and call your pediatrician.
 

What causes Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is typically caused by a strain of the coxsackievirus. The virus spreads to others through contact with an infected person’s nose and throat secretions, such as saliva, drool, or nasal mucus; through contact with an infected person’s blisters or scabs, or through contact with an infected person’s feces. 
 

How is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease diagnosed and treated?

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is diagnosed by your pediatrician after an evaluation of recent contact history and symptoms, and a physical examination of the sores. 

There is no treatment for Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. The best actions to take are symptomatic treatments that help relieve pain and prevent dehydration. Over the counter medications may be taken for pain and fever. 
 

How can I prevent Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?

The best way to prevent Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is through the same precautions we are already using in school: frequent handwashing, not sharing food or eating or drinking utensils, cleaning surfaces after they are used, and covering the mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. The next best mode of prevention is through staying home when you are not feeling well, and by seeing your pediatrician for any concerning symptoms before returning to school. 

For more information on Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: See https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/index.html

Thank you for reading this carefully and for checking your child for symptoms. If you have any questions or concerns that your child may have Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, please contact your child’s health care provider for an evaluation.
 

Here is some information on how to protect your child during outdoor play.

Children should wear clothing that is lightweight, light colored and quick drying. Long sleeved shirts, and long pants tucked into tall socks are helpful for avoiding insect exposure. I love the phrase: "We tuck in to keep them out." That means we need long pants, and long socks as a rule of thumb. 

Insect exposure, including ticks and mosquitoes, occurs more often in the warmer months. To prevent exposure, it is recommended that you follow the clothing guidelines outlined above and apply bug repellent to your child before arriving at school. AAP Healthy Children: Choosing an Insect Repellent for Your Children

Your child’s teacher will do a quick tick check after the walk through Gordon's woody areas. It is recommended that families also do a tick check in the evening every day.  According to the Centers for Disease Control: “Ticks can attach to any part of the human body but are often found in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits, and scalp. In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted.” 

Below are helpful websites for more information about prevention, how to do tick checks and tick removal.

• URI Tick Encounter: Tick Smart Tips
• RIDOH Is There A Tick on You?
• CHOP Removing Ticks: The Dos and Don’ts

Background

“A concussion is a brain injury caused when the brain moves rapidly inside the skull, all concussions are serious, they can occur without loss of consciousness, in any sport. Recognition and proper management when they first occur can prevent further injury and even death…Concussion symptoms can take hours or days after injury to appear.” (From the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention)

Response

The follow protocol is to be followed if a student is rendered unconscious after hitting their head:

1. Do not move the injured student.
    
2. An airway, breathing, and circulation assessment is to be performed.
    
3. Perform cervical spine stabilization.
    
4. If immediate help is needed call 911.
    
5. The school nurse and the parent are to be called.
    
6. If injury is considered serious, do not wait for the parent to arrive before the injured student is transported to the hospital. A member of the school staff is then to ride with or follow the ambulance to the hospital. The school representative will take a copy of the student’s health form to the hospital. (If time does not allow it may be faxed to the emergency room). 

The person who has a suspected head injury is to be assessed using the CDC Concussion Signs and Symptoms Checklist. The following protocol is to be used when applying the CDC Concussion Signs and Symptoms Checklist:

1. Injured student should be monitored every 15 minutes for a minimum of 30 minutes.
    
2. Injured student may be monitored by the nurse, if available, or another member of the faculty or staff.
    
3. If an injured student reports one or more of the symptoms on the checklist, their parents should be notified AND they should be referred to a health care professional.
    
4. When the injured student’s parents arrive they should be given a copy of the CDC Checklist to take with them to the health care professional.
    
5. Parents are to be provided a “Head Injury Letter” which notes the signs and symptoms of head injuries and what they should be looking for.

Subsequent to the injury

The following protocol will be followed subsequent to the injury:

1. An injured student, who has been referred to a health care provider, will need to provide a letter from their health care professional clearing them for participation in recess games, physical education or after school sport.
    
2. The injured student will be taken out for any recurrence of symptoms.
    
3. Any subsequent incidents will be treated as separate events.
    
4. Academic accommodations deemed necessary by the health care professional will be taken into consideration.