NYS School Health Exam Form

Student Accident Claim Form

In order for medications to be administered to a student correctly and safely the following guidelines have been established by New York State.

A completed Authorization to Medication Administration In School must be provided before we can administer any prescribed or over the counter medication to your child. Please note that if an authorization form is not available to you, the Health Office will accept a written, signed parental authorization and a standard prescription provided by your health care provider. Medication will not be administered to your child without parental and physician written authorization. This guideline includes the administration of prescribed and over the counter medication. Over the counter medication includes Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, medicated cough drops, ointments, creams, eye and ear drops, cough syrups, etc.

Medication must be brought to the Health Office by a parent/guardian in the original container, or an appropriately labeled container supplied by the pharmacist. Please request an extra, labeled empty container from the pharmacist for the Health Office use. An extra container is very helpful for use during classroom field trips. Parents must assume responsibility for the safe delivery of medication. Your child’s medication will then be kept in the Health Office and administered according to your physician’s orders.

Students who are ten years of age or older and use prescribed inhaled medication may be determined by your physician to be responsible to self-administer an inhaler. Permission forms are available from the Health Office upon request. In this case we would not monitor your child’s inhaler use, unless your child experiences difficulty and requires medical assistance.

The Health Office requires written authorization from the parent/guardian and the physician to discontinue use of a prescribed medication. A parent may call the school to notify the Health Office of discontinuation, but written notice from both parent and physician should follow within 48 hours. A parent may call the school to notify the Health Office of discontinuation, but written notice from both parent and physician should follow within 48 hours.

Please feel free to contact the Health Offices with any questions:

Thank you for helping us to provide a healthy school environment for us all.

Physical Requirements K-12

New York State Education Law requires an annual physical examination for students upon entrance to school (including those transferring from other states or other school districts within the state of New York) and routinely at grades K, 2, 4, 7 and 10.  As well as when they:

• Participate in interscholastic sports (see Sports and Yellow Card Requirements below)

• Need working papers

• Are referred by/to the Committee on Special Education

• Are deemed necessary by school authorities to determine a child’s education program

The school physician may perform the students’ physicals. However, we encourage your family physician to do the exam, as he knows your child’s medical history. If you wish to have your own physician do your child’s physical, please contact the Health Office within the first week of school, as student physicals will be scheduled.

New York State Education Law also requires annual health screens:

VISION: All students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 are required to have a far vision screening every year.  For new students near vision acuity and color perception are required within 6 months of entry.

HEARING: All students in grades K, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10, and new students are required to have a hearing screening.

SCOLIOSIS:   Scoliosis screening is required for all students in grades 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

These screens are basic and are used as an indicator for possible difficulties. You will be contacted if your child’s health screens are not within the normal range. If you choose not to have your child screened by the school nurse, please notify her immediately and promptly provide documentation from your child’s specialist (pediatrician, audiologist, or ophthalmologist) with complete findings. “Within normal limits” is not acceptable.

Please feel free to contact the Health Offices.

Sports and Yellow Card Requirements

Physical examinations are required yearly for those students playing sports. The procedure regarding participation in interscholastic sports is as follows:

1. Physical:  May be done by the school physician or the students own doctor.  Sports physicals are valid for 12 months.  If the student will have the physical done elsewhere the school form may be used or use the doctors form.  The doctor must specify that the student is cleared to participate in sports.  Any restrictions required must be listed

2. History: The history form provides an in-depth look at the student’s health.  This form must be completed prior to the actual physical exam and signed and dated by a parent.

3. Sports Health Update:    If the sports physical was completed more than 30 days prior to the start of sports practice this form must be completed.  State regulations mandate that a health history review for each athlete must be completed, signed and dated by a parent.

4. Medication Form:   In accordance with New York State Law any medication (inhaler, Epi-pen, prescribed medication or ANY over the counter medication) to be administered to students must have written permission of a physician.  Your physician must indicate if the student is to carry an inhaler or epi-pen. This order must be updated each year.

Once the above criteria for sports participation have been met a yellow card is issued from the health office to the student. Students need to provide coaches with this yellow card prior to practice. Coaches cannot allow a student to practice until a yellow card has been obtained.

If an injury, operation, or illness lasting more than five days occurs, the student is automatically removed from sports. A written release from the student’s doctor is needed prior to returning to sports. The school physician will also review and re-approve the student for participation in sports.

Healthy After School Snacks

• Snack Kebabs:  Cut raw vegetables or fruit into chunks and place on a wooden skewer.  Be creative and make patterns!  To prevent discoloration, dip apples, bananas, or pears in orange juice after they have been cut.

• Veggies with Dip:  Cut celery, zucchini, cucumbers or carrots into sticks or coins.  Dip them into salsa or low fat dip.

• Banana Pops:  Peel a banana.  Dip it in yogurt, then roll in crushed breakfast cereal and freeze

• Sandwich Cut-Outs:  Using cookie cutters with fun shapes, cut slices of cheese, meat, and whole-grain bread.   Put them together to make fun sandwiches.

• Ants on a Log:  Fill celery with peanut butter or cream cheese.  Arrange raisins along the top.

• Ice Cream-Wiches:  Put a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt between two oatmeal cookies or graham crackers.  Make a batch of these sandwiches and freeze them.

• Peanut Butter Balls:  Mix peanut butter and bran or corn flakes in a bowl.  Shape them into balls then roll them in crushed graham crackers.

• Smoothie: In a blender mix an   8oz berry yogurt (the berrier, the better)  ¼ cup orange juice, 1 bananas, 6 frozen strawberries.  If your strawberries aren’t frozen, then you need to add ice cubes to thicken the mix).

Lunch Box Makeovers

• Include a fruit!!!

• Include a vegetable!!!

• Use whole grain bread instead of white.

• Limit cookies, cakes, and other sweet baked goods.

• Skip the chips (don’t get caught in the convenience trap).

• Pack pretzels, Cheerios, bread sticks, or low fat crackers.

• Pack 100% juice.

• Pack lunch the night before school, when you have a little more time   plan on what to pack.

• Be creative! Mix foods, cut foods differently, have a theme (Wacky Wed.), add new foods, (exotic fruits…)

• Grocery shop with your child, and decide on nutritional items for the lunch box together.

• Watch out for foods advertised as “health foods” that may not be so healthy; examples are yogurt high in sugar, granola bars loaded with chips.

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years.  Between 16 and 33% of children and adolescents are obese.  It is among one of the easiest medical conditions to recognize, but one of the most difficult to treat.

Obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up.  A few extra pounds do not suggest obesity, but they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily.  Generally a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10% higher than what is medically recommended for the height and body type.  Obesity commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 and 6, and during adolescence.

Many different factors can play a role in childhood obesity.  Our society has become very sedentary.  Television, computer and video games contribute to a lack of physical activity.  Many adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day.  Fast food restaurants and “on-the-go type foods “ are high in fats, carbohydrates, and calories.  Medical conditions such as thyroid disease, medications such as steroids and some psychiatric medications, and stressful events such as divorce, moving, and deaths can play a major role in overeating.

Doctors and other health care professionals are the best people to determine whether your child’s weight is unhealthy.  They also can rule out medical problems as the cause.  Health professionals often use growth charts and body mass index to assess whether a child or adolescent is overweight.  The physician will also consider your child’s age and growth patterns to determine whether his or her weight is healthy.

Risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes occur with increased frequency in overweight children.  The most immediate consequence of obesity as perceived by the children themselves is social discrimination.  This is associated with poor self-esteem and depression.

Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight.  An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that her or she has a weight problem.  Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

The following are suggestions for physical activity and healthy eating:

• Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment.

• Encourage swimming, biking, skating, ball sports, walking, track, and other activities

• Reduce the amount of time spent watching television and playing video games.

• Encourage your child to only eat when hungry and to eat slowly.

• Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.

• Cut down on the amount of fat and calories in your family’s diet.

• Don’t place your child on a restrictive diet.

• Avoid the use of food as a reward and avoid withholding food as a punishment.

• Encourage water intake and limit the intake of beverages with added sugars, such as soft drinks, fruit juice drinks, and sports drinks.

• Plan for healthy snacks.  Stock the refrigerator with low calorie drinks, fresh fruit and vegetables.

• Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching television.

• Encourage eating a healthy breakfast every day.

Your child’s diet should be safe and nutritious.  Any weight management program should be supervised by a physician.  Always check with your child’s physician before beginning a weight management or exercise program.