Health Information
Health requirements for enrollment

• Annual health screening
• Health Services
• Medication at School
• Medication Guidelines
• Health Care Plans
• When to Stay Home
• Taking Your Child Home
• Returning to School
• Food Allergies at School

Annual Health Screening
Vision and hearing screening of all kindergartners, third graders, seventh graders, tenth graders, and newly enrolled Fairfax County students is conducted each fall by the public health nurse, clinic room aide, and clinic volunteers. This is only a brief screening; parents should continually be alert to identify vision or hearing difficulties that indicate need for examination by a specialist.

Health Services
Health services in the school, including the administration of medication and modified first aid, are performed by the clinic aide and office staff members. According to state regulations, the clinic staff may provide care only for minor illnesses and injuries. If the student’s condition requires more attention, the parent will be contacted.

Medication at School
Students may take medication at school, including throat lozenges and nasal spray, under strict adult supervision and in accordance with School Board Regulation 2102.10. Forms authorizing the school to administer medication are available in the school office or online.

With a parent or guardian’s signature and a physician’s signature, prescription and over-the-counter medication may be stored in the clinic and given as needed throughout the school year.

With a parent or guardian’s signature only, over-the-counter pain relievers for muscle aches and headaches may be stored in the clinic and administered at school. Any other over-the-counter medications may be given for up to ten consecutive school days with the parent or guardian’s signature. Beyond ten days, a physician’s signature is required.

Medication Guidelines
• Parents and guardians must transport medications to and from the school. With parent or guardian approval, a high school student may carry an over-the-counter medication to and from the school clinic.

• Your child must have the first dose of any new medication at home.
• A parent or guardian must personally collect any unused portion of the medication. Medications not claimed will be destroyed.
• A parent or guardian is responsible for submitting a new form to the school each time the dosage is changed or each time the time at which the medication is to be taken is changed.

Health Care Plans
Parents or guardians enrolling a student with a health condition, health-related need, or specific health care procedure that affects the school day should contact the principal so that a health care plan can be discussed.

When to Stay Home
Students with symptoms such as rashes, watery and inflamed eyes, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea should stay home until a doctor evaluates their symptoms and determines whether or not they are contagious. The Fairfax County Department of Health recommends that children remain home fever-free for 24 hours after an illness prior to returning to school.

To limit the spread of illnesses, notify the school office if your child gets head lice, strep throat, chicken pox, or other contagious illnesses.

Taking Your Child Home
Our school clinics work to control and manage student exposure to contagious diseases and will call you if your child exhibits symptoms of illness.
We ask that you make arrangements to pick up your child as soon as possible after receiving such a call. It is important to have all emergency numbers up to date in case we need to contact you. Anyone picking up your child must show identification.

Returning to School
Some rashes, pink eye, impetigo, ringworm, and scabies can be passed from one student to another. To protect all FCPS students, the school system requires a note from a physician for any child with symptoms of these illnesses. The note must state that the child is not contagious before he or she can return to school.

Food Allergies at School
To provide a safe educational environment for a student with severe food allergies, schools, parents and guardians, physicians, and the student must work together. The school public health nurse will work with the family and the physician to develop a school health care plan for the student. Parents or guardians enrolling a student with severe allergies should contact the school principal as early as possible so that a safe plan can be instituted.

More information is available at the school health program web site.