Health & Wellness

The Maine Center for Disease Control has reported Pertussis cases in Western and Southern Maine. Pertussis is a highly communicable and vaccine-preventable disease that lasts for many weeks. It is transmitted through direct contact with discharges from respiratory mucous membranes of infected persons. Symptoms include apnea, sudden onset spasms of severe coughing, whooping and vomiting after spasmodic coughing.

Preparing for and preventing the flu and other communicable diseases.

The flu is usually spread from person to person in respiratory droplets or by touching something with the flu virus on it (left by an infected person) Healthy adults may be able to infect others 1 day before getting symptoms and up to 5 days after getting sick. Therefor it is possible to give someone the flu before you even know you are about to become sick

1. Cover your nose or mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol based waterless hand cleaner. Try to avoid touching your face and mouth.
3. Avoid close contact with those that are sick
4. If you get sick:
   1. Stay home from work, school and social gatherings.
   2. Get plenty of rest
   3. Drink lots of fluids
   4. take medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) to relieve fever and muscle aches associated with the flu. Never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, especially fever. (It may cause Reye's Syndrome)
5. Contact your health care provider if you
   1. have symptoms lasting more than 4 days
   2. are unable to take fluids
   3. have difficulty to awaken (may be getting dehydrated)
6. Keep the ill separated from the well. Use a separate bedroom, if possible, and a separate bathroom. Choose a room that has a door if creating a sleeping space, to contain droplet pathogens.
7. Isolation or segregation is vital to keep the well feeling well.
8. The ill need to be segregated from all well family members, especially children and adults who cannot understand infection control techniques.
9. Keep pets out of the "Ill Room" as they too can be carriers, especially pet birds.
10. Designate one caregiver to decrease the potential for disease transmission to others in the home. Choose a caregiver who is willing to follow simple infection-control measures and who is relatively healthy. If possible, avoid designating someone with chronic diseases or immune deficiencies.
11. Teach hand hygiene (Hand washing with soap and water or use of alcohol based cleaner) after contact with the ill or their environment. Flu is a contact and a droplet transmissible disease. It is hardy, able to live on surfaces, like doorknobs or faucet handles for hours or days.
12. Flu is transmissible via droplet. Therefor any activity within 3 feet of the ill person that produces droplets, like coughing or sneezing, can expose the caregiver to infection. The caregiver may want to wear a mask to protect themselves.
13. Teach the ill to use good respiratory hygiene (Cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing)
14. Some ill people may not be able to comply: Children, Mental impairment, and poor hygiene habits.
15. Do not allow people to enter the home to avoid exposure. If a visit from the plumber or furnace repairman is necessary, keep them as far from the ill as possible.
16. This is not a good time to go visit the new family baby or to visit in the hospital. Segregate
17. There is no need for separate eating utensils, dishes or linens. Wash soiled dishes in a dishwasher or in warm soap water.
18. Wash soiled linens in warm or cold water. "Care should be taken to avoid the hugging of dirty linen"
19. Place a bag (Tape to bedside table) for dirty tissues so that the bag can be closed and contained without further exposure by picking up dirty tissues.
20. Remember to wash hands after contact with soiled surfaces, laundry, dishes and eating utensils.
21. To Summarize: Keep the ill at home. If the ill must leave home, have them wear a mask. In the home, segregate the ill from the well, and wash hands!

The Center for Disease Control is reminding everyone to not use aspirin or aspirin containing products for flu or viral illnesses. Aspirin has been linked to Reye's Syndrome in children from infancy to 19 years old. Reye's syndrome affects all organs, but is lethal to the liver and brain. No Need for Panic, just be aware that the FDA and CDC want us to know that Reye's Syndrome appears after a flu like illness or chicken pox. Blood tests (SGOT and SGPT) are diagnostic indicators of Reye's Syndrome. Talk with your Doctor about safe over the counter remedies. Many over the counter medicines have aspirin in them. Examples of aspirin containing OTC remedies are: Alka-Seltzer, Amacin, Ascriptin, Bufferin, Dristan, Excedrin, Pamprin, Pepto-Bismol, and Sine-Off. For more information about Reye's Syndrome, contact the National Reye's Syndrome Foundation* or talk with your medical provider.

Our Health and Wellness team

The wellness team members are Nan Mills, Judi Howard, Jill Mathers, Bernadette Willette, Clark Rafford, Dawn Bossie, Sandra Hare-Estabrook, Trish McCarthy, Sister Peggy, Jill Quint, Brenda Griffin and Ruth Stewart.
Wellness Team members Dawn Bossie, Jill Mathers, Mildred Malone , Nan Mills and Sandra Hare-Estabrook represented MSAD # 70 at the Wellness Summit at Sugarloaf June 26-29, 2006. Mary Harbison who also is a member of the MSAD # 70 Wellness Policy committee and assistant principal to the elementary school attended all day sessions on the 28th. The theme for this annual event was "Wellness: Coming of Age" . Many sessions blended the total wellness picture: emotional, spiritual, physical, mental and social wellness.
Please consider sharing ideas for our school community (staff and students) for activities, education, presentations, etc.