Health Room
Health Room which serves as a first aid station and a rest area for students feeling ill. You may reach the Health Room Team via email at health@dsc.edu.hk or direct line at 3658-0525. The Health Room is located on the ground floor (Rm 112).
Parents are required to indicate/update any medical conditions, together with any medications their child takes, on the Medical Questionnaire. Throughout the year, if there are any revisions that need to be made to this information, parents are asked to update the Health Room Team immediately This allows the School to provide the safest learning environment possible and provides vital information for health care providers in the unlikely event of a medical emergency. Please input the Health Room’s main phone number (3658-0525) into your phone and be sure to answer any calls originating from this number promptly.
School Policy on Medication
Medication Forms
Pre-Grade 1 to Grade 8
DSC has a strict policy regarding student medication (tablets, liquid, lozenges, ointments, creams or sprays) being brought to school. Any medication brought to school should be given to the Health Room in the morning for storage and administration. A student must never keep medication in the classroom or take it on his/her own.
Students taking medication at school is discouraged. Parents/guardians are encouraged to use, when practical, dosages that can be safely administered outside of school hours. If a student requires medication in school please adhere to the following guidelines:
A “Temporary Medication Request Form” must be received from a parent or guardian in writing. A form must be completed before the student can be assisted with his/her medication.
Any medications should be brought to school by a parent or parent’s representative. The child can bring the medication with special permission and parents should contact the Health Room. The medication should be delivered personally with the completed “Temporary Medication Request Form” to the Health Room in the morning before class.
Medications must be clearly labeled with contents, student’s name, dosage, time, and route. The medication must be in its original container and, if prescribed, with the prescription.
If there is an excess of medication sent to school, it should be collected by the parent or parent representative. However, it may be sent home with the child after school if agreed upon by the parent and the Health Room.
If these guidelines are not followed then the medication may not be given. All parents/guardians will receive a letter and two request forms. Parents/guardians who do not understand the medication policy or have any questions/concerns are encouraged to contact the Health Room.
If a student requires daily long-term mediation, or needs to keep emergency medication at school, the parent must contact the Health Room for further support and instruction.
A student may self-administer (i.e. epinephrine or prescribed inhalers) only if agreed upon in advance by the student’s parents/guardians, the Health Room Supervisor and Principal.
Sorry for any inconvenience caused; however, the health and safety of all students must be our first priority.
Grade 9 to 12
Health Room Staff do not dispense medication to students (e.g. over-the-counter medications like Panadol, or medicines for cold and cough, gastrointestinal upset, or muscle or body discomfort). If a student needs this medication at school, the student must bring this medication from home. Please be advised that students are not allowed to leave the school during class time to purchase non-prescription medications. If required, and they have their parent’s consent, high school students can purchase non-prescription medications during their lunch hour.
Students must not take medications to school unless necessary. If a student takes medicine to school he/she is responsible for the safe keeping and administration. Students will also be held responsible for any liability resulting from not securing the medicine from other students. As a result, students are advised to bring any medication to the Health Room for safe storage throughout the day. Also, if privacy is needed, the Health Room is a safe and secure location for students to come.
If a student requires assistance with their medication at school, the parent must contact the Health Room for further support and instruction. The parent should indicate the student’s medical condition and any medications taken on the Medical Questionnaire to assist the school in providing a safe learning environment.
If a high school student requires long-term medication, and school assistance is necessary, the parent must contact the Health Room to make the necessary arrangements (e.g. for insulin administration). A student may self-administer prescribed emergency medications such as epinephrine or inhalers if agreed upon in advance by the student’s parents/guardians, the Health Room Supervisor and Principal. Even if a student does carry their own emergency inhaler or EpiPen, for example, it is recommended that the parents provide another one to the Health Room in the case of an emergency.
Parents/guardians who do not understand the medication policy or have any questions/concerns are encouraged to contact the Health Room Team.
Sorry for any inconvenience caused; however, the health and safety of all students must be our first priority.
Illness Policy
Fever & Illness Policy
At DSC it is our responsibility to be proactive against the spread of infection among staff, students, and families. If your child is ill (fever, chills, rash, sore throat, cough, headache, vomiting, and/or diarrhea) he/she should not be sent to school. If a student develops these symptoms at school, the parent/guardian will be asked to pick the student up from school. Due to COVID-19, a student must see a doctor and get a doctor’s certificate before returning to school.
The school uses 38.0 ᵒC (EAR) to determine “fever”. Our fever policy states a student must be fever free for 48 hours before returning to school. When a student no longer has any fever (without the help of medicine), you can begin to count 48 hours (two complete days). When this 48 hours is up, your child can return to school. If your child returns to school before this time period, the student will be sent home.
For example, if your child has a fever on Monday and the fever stops on Tuesday evening, count 48 hours from Tuesday evening. That means student can return to school on Friday of that week.
Please follow the fever reference chart below, provided by the CHP (HK Department of Health).
Measuring | Celsius scale (ᵒC) | Fahrenheit scale (ᵒF) |
Oral | 37.5 | 99.5 |
Ear | 38.0 | 100.4 |
Armpit | 37.3 | 99.1 |
If a student is sick with a Communicable Disease (Chicken Pox, Influenza, Mumps, Measles, Conjunctivitis or Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, for example), or the student has an infestation such as Head Lice, he/she should not attend school until they are well and/or treated. Please notify the school if your child has contracted a communicable disease or has been admitted to hospital. Depending on the student’s condition, the student may be asked to bring a doctor’s note to school stating he/she is fit to attend school before returning to class.
At DSC, our policies are based on the guidelines and recommendations provided by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) and the Education Bureau of Hong Kong (EDB). These policies are enforced to protect the health of the students and staff at DSC International School.
Please refer to the CHP and EDB websites for further information.
Injuries Policy – Minor Injuries
Minor Injuries
For minor scrapes and abrasions, the wound is cleaned and a band aid will be applied. For minor bumps and bruises ice will be applied and the student will be monitored.
For more serious cuts and bruises the parents will be contacted and a decision will be made if the student should seek further medical care.
PLEASE NOTE: If a parent/guardian cannot be reached, “A note from the Health Room” will be sent home.
Injuries Policy – Head Injuries
Head Injuries
A student will be brought to the Health Room to be assessed by Health Room Staff. If the head injury is minor, ice will be applied. If the student has no signs or symptoms of a head injury the student will go back to class. A Student Head Injury Note will be sent to the classroom teacher and home with the student. If a student has any signs or symptoms of a head injury the parents/guardians will be called. If it is an emergency then an ambulance will be called.
Signs and Symptoms
A child’s behavior and symptoms after a head injury depend upon the type and extent of the injury. The most common signs and symptoms include:
- Scalp swelling – Scalp swelling is common because there are many blood vessels in the scalp. If the skin is not broken, it is common to develop a large lump from bleeding or swelling under the skin.
- Loss of consciousness – pass out (lose consciousness), usually just for a brief period (less than one minute).
- Headache – Headache after head injury. In children who are too young to speak, irritability may be an indication of headache or other discomfort.
- Vomiting – Children who vomit after a head injury do not necessarily have a serious brain injury.
- Seizures – A CT scan of the head is usually recommended in this situation.
- Concussion – The term concussion is used to describe a mild form of traumatic brain injury. Common symptoms of a concussion include confusion, amnesia (not being able to remember events around the time of the injury), headache, vomiting, and dizziness. Loss of consciousness does not always occur.
A student head injury note will be sent home. Parents/Guardians are asked to monitor the student’s condition at home since signs and symptoms of a head injury may not develop right away.
The Health Room will also be giving a “I Bumped My Head” sticker to younger students and “Neon Green Wristbands” for all students. This will indicate to staff that the student has received a head injury and the student should be watched for any symptoms. If you see your child at home with a sticker and/or neon green wrist band, please check his or her bag for the Head Injury Letter from the Health Room.
Medical attention after a head injury
Children with any of the following symptoms need to be evaluated by a healthcare provider since these symptoms may indicate a higher risk of complications
- If the child has recurrent vomiting
- If the child has a seizure (convulsion)
- If the child loses consciousness after the injury
- If the child develops a headache that is severe or worsens with time
- If the child has difficulty seeing, unusual movements of the eyes, or if one pupil becomes larger than the other
- If the child has bruising on the head, especially around the eyes and behind the ears
- If there are changes in the child’s behavior (eg, lethargic, difficult to wake, extremely irritable, or exhibiting other abnormal behavior)
- If the child stumbles, or difficulty walking, clumsiness, or lack of coordination
- If the child is confused or has slurred speech
- If the child has dizziness that does not resolve or recurs repeatedly
- If blood or watery fluid oozes from the nose or ears, or a strange taste in the mouth
- If the child is younger than six months of age
- If a cut will not stop bleeding after applying pressure for 10 minutes
- If the child fell from a height greater than five feet, was hit with a high speed object, or was hit with great force
- If the parent/caregiver is concerned about how the child is acting
Sprains and Strains
If a student is suspected of spraining or straining a limb, the limb is elevated and ice is applied for 10 minutes. If swelling, bruising, or loss of movement is noted a parent/guardian will be notified and a decision will be made if the student should seek further medical care.
Emergencies
In all emergencies an ambulance will be called. The parents/guardians will be notified and either can come to school to accompany the student to the hospital or can meet the student at the hospital. Students are sent to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Hospital in Chai Wan located in the Eastern District of Hong Kong Island.
The student will be accompanied by a member of the school until the parent/guardian reaches the hospital. Remember, a student can be signed-in to a hospital by school staff but a parent/guardian must be present in order to sign the student out of the hospital.
Head Lice Policy
DSC has a strict policy about head lice. A student should not come to school with known head lice. If lice or nits (eggs) are found on a student’s head at school the student will be sent home. The student is not allowed back to school until all lice and the nits have been treated and removed.
Removing head lice and the nits is a big job and may take a few days. Below is some information to help families get rid of head lice.
Lice can appear on anyone’s head (more common on girls than boys), no matter what hair length or the person’s degree of cleanliness. Head lice are transmitted mainly through head-to-head contact (sharing pillows, brushes or hats, lying on a carpet). Head lice cannot jump or fly, so sitting near someone will not transmit lice. Head lice are found behind the ears and near the hairline at the neck–but can be difficult to see. Nits look like whitish shells found on the hair strand near the scalp. They are firmly attached to the hair shaft and cannot be “flicked off” easily. The person may have scalp itching, redness, and crusting or no symptoms at all.
Treatment
To treat head lice, you must search for head lice when hair is wet. Use a fine-toothed comb (or a louse comb), clear tape (to stick on hair to pick up nits), tissue to wipe hair to remove detached nits, and a strong light. Wet combing should be done initially every day until there are no nits and then every 2-3 days over a 2-week period. Use small sections of hair, working out from the scalp. If lice are found, treat with an anti-lice agent and repeat in 7-10 days to kill newly hatched nits.
- Prescription anti-lice agents may be needed from your doctor. Shampoo and rinse hair and comb with a fine-toothed comb. Repeat anti-lice treatment in 7-10 days to kill nits that may have hatched. Also, using Tea Tree or Eucalyptus oil has proven to be helpful in removing lice and their eggs.
- Specific lice killing treatments should not be used on a regular basis or as a preventative measure. However, adding a small amount of Tea Tree, vinegar or Eucalyptus oil into regular shampoos/conditioners from time to time and lots of hair combing can’t do any harm.
- Check all household members and treat only if lice or nits are seen.
- If a child is younger than 2 years, comb to remove lice and nits but use no anti-lice agents.
- Hair conditioners may coat or cover the lice so they should not be used before applying anti-lice agents.
- Wash all bed linens and clothing that have been in contact with the infested person in the past 2 days. Use hot water and hot cycle dryer.
- All nonwashable items such as stuffed animals should be placed in plastic bags for 2 weeks then opened outdoors. Dry cleaning may be an alternative.
- Disinfect combs and brushes in hot water or alcohol. Soak for more than 5 minutes in very hot water.
- Vacuum floors and furniture, especially sofas and areas used by children. Throw away the vacuum bag immediately.
When to Call the Doctor
Lice can effectively be treated. But call your doctor if these conditions develop:
- If skin or scalp infections develop from scratching, with symptoms such as redness, swelling, or tenderness to the area
- If treatment doesn’t work after using medications as directed
- If lice persist and treatment has failed, recheck for a change in anti-lice treatment
Prognosis
With appropriate home care or prescription medication, more than 90 % of lice infestations can be cured. Treatments are more effective in killing lice than nits. This is why combing is so important to remove nits–as is repeating the anti-lice treatment in 7-10 days. Children can return to their usual activities and school after the first treatment and if all lice and nits are removed. Re-treat only if active lice are found.
Useful Information
Hand Washing
Hand washing is the # 1 way to stop the spread of germs and protect us from getting sick! Here are some great videos and sites to help teach us how to wash our hands.
Prevent diseases – Maintain good hygiene (YOUTUBE VIDEO)
Mayo Clinic Minute: You’re washing your hands all wrong
Wear Mask
We wear surgical masks when we are sick to prevent us from spreading our germs. But if we do not use them properly we can cause more harm than good. Here is a video about how to properly wear a surgical mask.
How to WEAR a surgical mask properly (YOUTUBE VIDEO)
How to TAKE OFF a surgical mask properly (YOUTUBE VIDEO)
Cold or Flu
There can be some confusion about what is a cold and what is a flu. Both illnesses are caused by viruses but usually do have different symptoms. Here are a few links that may answer some common questions and clarify the similarities and differences between the two.
Cold vs. Flu: Similarities, Differences and Chart (medicinenet)