Gig Mill Primary School
Together we care, together we succeed
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Medical Conditions & Allergies
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If your child needs to take medication in school, a medication form (available from the school office) will need to be completed. Please note ANY medications need to be handed in and collected from the school office by an adult on a daily basis.
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Allergies
Please note we have both children and staff with severe allergies in school - therefore, we are a nut & nut products and also Kiwi fruit free school.
Below are links for further information on common childhood illnesses/medical conditions. This is provided as guidance for Parents/Carers. If you require any further information, please contact your Doctor.
Please click here for the NHS leaflet 'Should I keep my child off school?' - giving helpful advice regarding many common childhood illnesses.
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Measles - January 2024 Update
Measles cases are rapidly rising across the West Midlands.
Possible complications of measles include blindness, pneumonia, meningitis, and seizures NHS-measles
Anyone who has not received 2 doses of MMR vaccine could be at risk from the potentially serious complications of measles infection if they are a contact of someone with measles. Pregnant women who are unvaccinated would be especially vulnerable to the serious effects of measles infection.
More information on measles and the MMR Vaccine available here
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MMR Catch-Up Clinics
An MMR vaccine catch-up clinic is taking place this Saturday for 12 – 16-year-olds who aren’t fully vaccinated. Parents and carers are urged to book their children’s appointment.
Due to an increase in measles cases across the West Midlands, pop-up vaccination clinics have been set up in the Black Country to help ensure children aged 12 to 16 (Years 8 to 12) are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.
Measles is a highly infectious disease which can lead to serious complications such as severe lung infections and inflammation of the brain. It also damages and suppresses the whole immune system, meaning children can be left much more susceptible to catching other illnesses.
It can spread quickly among communities, particularly schools, if children have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
A series of pop-up clinics offering the MMR vaccine are taking place across the Black Country for 12-to-16-year-olds who haven’t yet had two doses.
The clinics are being hosted in Brierley Hill, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell on the following dates:
Brierley Hill: • Fens Pool Community Centre, Tennyson Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 4HY, Saturday 20 January, 9am-1.30pm. To book an appointment call 01384 431712
Wolverhampton: • The Health Hub, Mander Centre, Wolverhampton, WV1 3NH, Saturday 20 January, 9am-2.30pm. To book an appointment call 01902 200077
Sandwell: • Wood Lane Community Centre, Wood Lane, West Bromwich, B709PT, Saturday 27 January, 9am-1.30pm. To book an appointment call 0121 592 1110
Walsall: • South & Central Locality Hub, Birchills Street, WS2 8NF, Saturday 27 January, 9am -1.30pm. To book an appointment call 01922 902035
The clinics will be staffed by trained healthcare professionals from the NHS and Vaccination UK who specialise in childhood vaccinations and follow all necessary safety protocols. Parents and carers who are unsure if their child is up to date with their routine vaccinations can also check this at the clinics. Children will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Parents who are unsure if their child is up to date with all their routine vaccinations can also check their child’s Red Book (personal child health record), check the NHS app, or contact their GP practice. For more information about the MMR vaccine, visit the NHS website here.
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Common Medical Conditions
What is it?
Scarlet fever is caused by bacteria (streptococci) and is characterised by a rash. These bacteria more often just cause a sore throat.
How do you know if someone has it?
The main symptoms include a nasty sore throat and fever. The fash is a fine, raised, red rash (feels like sandpaper) which disappears momentarily when pressed. It appears most commonly on the next, chest, under the arms, elbows and inner thighs. The rash does not usually affect the face, which is flushed. During convalescence, the skin usually peels on the fingers and toes.
Is it Infectious?
Yes, to close contacts of the patient and rarley by indirect contact through objects or hands.
What is the incubation period?
Short, usually 1-3 days, rarely longer.
Is there any treatment?
Penicillin reduces the length of the illness and the possibility of rare complications. There are alternatives for people allergic to penicillin.
What should I do if someone has the illness?
Consult your Doctor who will confirm the diagnosis and decide about treatment.
The infected person should rest while they have fever.
Keep a child with a fever cool by reducing clothing and bedclothes and by giving paracetamol as prescribed on the bottle.
If possible, babies and people with low resistance to infection (immunosuppression) should avoid contact with the patient.
How soon can someone with the illness return to school?
People are infectious from the day the sore throat starts until 24 hours after starting antibiotics. Individuals may return to school 24 hours from commencing antibiotics and feel well enough to do so.
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What are Threadworms?
Threadworms, also known as pinworms, are tiny parasitic worms that hatch eggs in and infect the large intestine of humans.
Threadworms are the most common type of worm infection in the UK, and they are particularly common in young children under the age of 10.
Threadworms are white and look like small pieces of thread. You may notice them around your child's bottom or in your or your child's stools.
They don't always cause symptoms, but people often notice itchiness around their bottom. This can be worse at night and can sometimes disturb sleep.
How can infection be prevented?
It is not always possible to prevent a threadworm infection, but you can significantly reduce your risk by always maintaining good hygiene and encouraging children to do the same.
Children should wash their hands regularly, particularly after going to the toilet and before mealtimes. Kitchen and bathroom surfaces should be kept clean.
If your child is infected, encouraging them not to scratch the affected atea around their bottom will help prevent re-infection and reduce the risk of the infection spreading to other people.
Treatment of Threadworms
If you or your child may have threadworms, you can usually treat the infection yourself with medication available at pharmacies without prescription. More detailed information is available on the NHS choices website http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Threadworms
If you wish to speak to the School Nurse she can be contacted at Stourbridge Health and Social Care Centre on 01384 323770.
A case of headlice has been reported in your child's class. To prevent further escalation of the problem, the following information may be of use;
Information provided by the Dudley Priority Health on Head Lice
Headlice are primarily a problem of the whole community and are not the responsiblity of schools. It is each parent's/carer's responsiblity to check their family's hair regularly for headlice.
What are Head Lice?
Head lice are tiny insects that live on human hair. They feed from the scalp by sucking blood. They use hair to help them move, to protect them from light and cold, and as a place to lay their eggs. When lice lay their eggs, they glue them to the strands of hair do they cannot easily be dislodged. Headlice cannot survive away from the scalp.
What do Head Lice look like?
Eggs: are the size of a pin head. Eggs that have hatched are snow white; they remain attached to the hair shaft and grow out with the hair.
Lice: can grow to the size of a match head and are grey or brown - they blend in with the colour of the hair. They are difficult to detect, even under close examination and do not always cause itching.
How do you catch Head Lice?
Head lice are spread only by direct contact. They do not fly or jump. When heads touch, the lice simply grip on to a strand of hair with their claws and move from one head to another. They can move very fast when necessary.
Detection of Head Lice
Wash the hair and liberally apply conditioner. While the conditioner is still on the hair, the hair should be combed through with a fine tooth comb (available from chemists)
Comb the hair through in small sections starting at the root, slot the teeth of the comb into the hair against the scalp.
Observe the comb after each stroke.
Continue to comb through the hair in sections until the whole head has been combed.
During combing, eggs may be observed as grey/white specks similar in appearance to dandruff. These will not easily be removed by combing and may require removal by the hand by grasping the shell between the thumb and forefinger and drawing it along the hair strand.
It is important that all close contacts are made aware of the importance of checking for lice in this way and that with early detection the unsafe use of chemical preparations is avoided.
Management of Head Lice
If any head lice are found, the wet combing method is also the recommended management.
The comb should be inspected and cleaned between each stroke.
This routine should be repeated every three/four days for three weeks, so that any lice emerging from the eggs can be removed before they spread.
At the end of the three weeks if no head lice are present the parents should return to routinely wet tooth combing their family's hair.
Chemical preparations should only be used in exceptional circumstances and after consultation with a health care professional. The wet tooth combing method should be used together with any chemical preparation either prescribed or purchased.
There is nothing wrong with having head lice, anyone within your community can have them. If you do get them it does not mean that you or your family are dirty. Further help and advice is available from school health advisors, health visitors, pharmacists and G.P.'s
Further information is available from Stourbridge health and Social Care Centre Tel: 01384 323770
If your child has sickness and/or diarrhoea, please keep them away from school for 48 hours after the last bout of illness, this is to prevent the spread of germs to others in the school.
Key messages for sickness and diarrhoea/norovirus are:-
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Recognise it.
Sudden onset of diarrhoea and/or vomiting that lasts for approximately 24 hours. -
Avoid it.
Wash hands regularly with soap and water - do not rely on hand gel. Increase cleaning, especially toilets and touch points such as taps and door handles. -
Contain it.
Do not visit your GP Surgery or walk in centre if you have symptoms - call NHS 111 or your GP for advice. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. -
Stop it.
Stay at home for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped to reduce the chances of passing the virus onto others.
For more information, please click here.
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Measles
More information on the MMR Vaccine available here
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