1. Head Lice Scabies Epilepsy Diabetes Asthma Allergies Jayla Bousquet Erin Wotton Health Concerns

2. Head Lice Head lice are very small insects that live on the human scalp. They are not a life-threatening problem but can be difficult to get rid of, especially in a classroom full of students. A student may have lice if they are complaining that their head is itchy. When lice bight the scalp they cause itchy bites, resulting in kids scratching their heads. The only way to be sure though is by inspecting the child's hair and finding live lice. To treat head lice, a student must wash their hair with a product that contains the insecticides pyrethrin, permethrin, or lindane. These are found in shampoo's, Nix, or Lindane Shampoo. There is also a non-insecticidal product available, Resultz, which can be used for kids 4 and up. A second application of these products is needed again after 7-10 days to ensure the infestation has been killed. If you have a case of head lice in your classroom, a letter should be sent home to parents alerting them to check their children. A teacher must be careful though to protect the infested students privacy, as a stigma can be associated with such an affliction. Students who have lice should not be sent home, but should avoid direct head-to-head contact with other students. Excessive cleaning is not needed as lice cannot survive in the classroom, they need a scalp to live on.

3. http://search.creativecommons.org/?q=lice&format=

4. Scabies Scabies occurs when an insect called an itch-mite, digs into someone's skin and lays it eggs there. This then leads the victim to become very itchy. A student may have this disease if you notice they have red spots or streaks, usually found in moist areas of the body. The best places to look are places where you find a fold in the skin. (Toes, fingers, armpits, etc.) If you believe a student has scabies they need to seek medical attention, where a doctor will prescribe them a medicated lotion. The mite that causes this condition can live in linens for up to a week. In order to sanitize your classroom you would want to wash anything of this nature in hot water and then place in the dryer on a high heat for 15 minutes. If this is not an option, you can put linens in a bag and leave them there for a week. After that time the mites should no longer be able to survive. This is a very contagious disease so parents should be notified that there has been a diagnosed case in your classroom.

5. http://search.creativecommons.org/?q=scabies&format=

6. Epilepsy Epilepsy/seizure disorder is a physical disorder formed by sudden or brief changes in how the brain works. It is a symptom of a neurological disorder that affects the brain and shows itself in the form of seizures. A seizure occurs when the normal electrical balance in the brain is lost. The brain's nerve cells fall through; they either ignite when they shouldn't or don't ignite when they should. The result is a sudden, brief, uncontrolled rush of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. These overactive signals may keep the brain from understanding what the eyes see. The person may stare during a seizure, or they may affect leg muscle tone and cause a person to fall down. The type of seizure depends how many cells are launched and which area of the brain is involved A seizure may be a change in behaviour, consciousness, movement, perception, and or sensation It’s important to remember that seizures can be shown in a variety of ways. There are many other forms a seizure can take that you may not even notice. A student might just see, feel, or hear things differently for a moment, or might just be looking into space as if daydreaming for a few moments

7. Epilepsy A major implication for this disorder on the child is the self-consciousness that may come with it. With the unpredictability of the next seizure, a child may worry a lot about engaging in different activities. As the teacher, you can take measures to allow the student to live and act as normally as other students while providing supports to protect the child in the event of a seizure. Likely, one of your significant roles will be to deal with the emotional impacts on the student, the sense of isolation and discouragement, and the potential for teasing and bullying by other students Sometimes people with epilepsy/seizure disorder recognize that specific events or circumstances affect seizures. As teachers helping students recognize and control seizure triggers can help to reduce or avoid seizures. Some common triggers include: Flickering of lights of computers, television, videos, etc. Low seizure medication levels Menstruation/hormonal changes Stress, excitement, emotional upset Forgetting to take prescribed medication Lack of sleep Illness or fever Missing meals

8. Diabetes Our bodies need to maintain a relatively steady level of sugar or glucose in the blood in order for us to be well. When we ingest more sugar than we need, the pancreas releases insulin and this lowers the level of blood glucose. When the pancreas is not working properly, or the body is not able to use insulin effectively, high levels of glucose in the blood can cause damage to nerves, vision, and other areas of the body. Glucose levels are raised by eating or drinking fluids containing carbohydrates or sugar, and they are normally lowered by insulin and/or physical exertion. A student with an existing diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes will be managing insulin levels by injecting insulin with a syringe or insulin pens. An insulin pump is another alternative for delivering insulin to the body and this saves the child the trouble of having to administer injections during the day. A student who is managing diabetes will need to measure his/her blood glucose about three to four times per day. As the teacher, you will normally not need to do this for the child, though you may be asked to supervise, and with younger children you may be asked to assist. You should not be asked to inject the student with insulin. Dietary habits are an important part of managing the condition. The student should be eating the same amount of food every day at about the same time every day. In some cases this will mean that the student needs to have some kind of nourishment during class time. The most significant concern for you as a teacher will be to be able to recognize signs of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, and respond quickly and appropriately. This is one area in which your actions or inaction can literally make the difference between life and death for a child.

9. Diabetes Symptoms/Indicators of Hypoglycemia (Low blood glucose) potential medical emergency: Abdominal pain Anxiety Tiredness Headache Cold Nausea Paleness Hunger Disorientation Dizziness Fainting Seizure Irritability, hostility, or combativeness Staggering Shakiness Confusion – not making sense Loss of consciousness Clammy sweaty skin Emergency Interventions for Hypoglycemia: If the student is conscious: If the student shows any of the signs or symptoms of hypoglycaemia listed above, provide sugar – give the student five glucose tablets, six Lifesavers, or a glass of fruit juice. A snack or meal should follow about 10-15 minutes later. Stay with the student until he/she is well again. Do not let the student go home unaccompanied or go home unless there will be someone there for the rest of the day. Notify the parents If the student has lost consciousness: Have someone call 911. Administer glucose paste under the tongue. (A small tube of glucose paste can be purchased at a pharmacy. The family will likely have provided you with this.) Lay the student on his/her side in a recovery position with head tilted slightly back to maintain an open airway and mouth pointed down to the floor to allow saliva to drain. Monitor breathing. Notify the parents.

10. Asthma As many as one in eight to ten students will be affected by asthma, a disease in which an exposure to some specific trigger causes the air passages to constrict and fill with mucus. This makes breathing difficult, causes reactions from coughing to wheezing, and may lead to a loss of consciousness and, in extreme cases, loss of life. Common Asthma Triggers Allergens like pollen or animal dander Aspirin Colds Chemicals in paints, glues, art supplies, craft supplies Cold air Exercise Chemicals from carpets, furniture Infections Moulds Chemicals in cleaning products Perfumes Smoke Chemicals in glue Viruses Weather Dust, including chalk dust Emotional upset Markers with strong odours Symptoms/Indicators of an Asthma Attack Anxiety Chest – tightness Coughing Breathing – difficulty getting air Lips/tongue – bluish Motor – difficulty walking Breathing – shortness of breath Nail beds – bluish Speech – difficulty talking Skin – pale, sweaty, bluish Wheezing Neck muscles – standing out while the person is attempting to breathe

11. Allergies that require EpiPens Students in your classroom may be severely allergic to things like nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk, and certain types of insects. If they come into contact with something that they are severely allergic to, there is a good chance they could go into anaphylactic shock. Anyphalactic shock occurs when the bodies immune system over-reacts to an allergen. A person may be experiencing this if they start to have difficulty breathing, have swelling of the tongue, mouth or lips, begin vomiting,develophives,have a metallic taste in their mouth, and may even have collapsing of blood vessels. This is a serious health problem which can require immediate attention. The most common treatment to administer is an injection of epinephrine. Most people who know they have a serious allergy carry an auto-injector with them, called an Epipen. If a student had a serious allergy of this nature they would require an I.E.P with the URIS information on it. This would be posted in areas that all teachers had access to. We are know going to demonstrate how to to use an Epipen effectively if you have a student who required this type of treatment.

12. Resources 1) http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/head-lice 2) http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/scabies 3) http://www.anaphylaxis.org/content/whatis/anaphylaxis_is.asp 4) http://www.epipen.ca 5) http://www2.brandonu.ca/academic/education/exceptional/alphabetical.asp 6) http://www.manitobaepilepsy.org/pdf/teens.pdf 7) http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/chronicdisease/diabetes/strategy.html