Click Here to access and follow my new website! It’s more user friendly, search bar is available now, and my books are all in one place. Comment and let me know what you would like to see from me on there! I’ll be adding more to it soon ..read more

JANUARY 23, 20247:30 AM ET from NPR.org https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2024/01/23/1226155791/why-diphtheria-is-making-a-comeback By Simar Bajaj The potentially fatal disease diphtheria is caused by bacteria — the club-shaped, Gram-positive, Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacilli shown in this microscope photo. CDC via AP It had been over 30 years since the last case of diphtheria was seen in Guinea. So when patients began showing up six months ago with what looked like flu symptoms — fever, cough and sore throat – doctors weren’t alarmed. Until the children started dying. That’s ..read more

Getting splinters out can be a tough job sometimes. Not all school nurses prefer to remove splinters but in case you do here are some tips and tricks to hopefully make it a little easier. First and foremost, if you do not prefer to remove splinters as some do, it is perfectly reasonable to clean the area, cover with a bandaid and let the parent know so they can handle it at home. Many nurses feel that it is outside of their scope of practice to “dig” for a splinter that is not easily removed as it is a more invasive procedure that could be considered “surgery”. If the splinter is sticking out ..read more

Peppermint From the Mount Sinai blog: Mentha x piperita Peppermint (Mentha piperita), a popular flavoring for gum, toothpaste, and tea, is also used to soothe an upset stomach or to aid digestion. It has a calming and numbing effect, and is often used to treat headaches, skin irritation, nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, flatulence, and anxiety associated with depression. It is also an ingredient in chest rubs used to treat symptoms of the common cold. In test tubes, peppermint kills some types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, suggesting it may have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral p ..read more

For immediate release: January 05, 2024 Published by: Board of Health, Department of Public Health Contact: Health Department phlpublichealth@phila.gov PHILADELPHIA—The City continues to respond to the ongoing measles outbreak in Philadelphia. Current situation Today, the Health Department reports a total of 5 confirmed and 3 presumed cases of measles associated with this outbreak. Currently, 3 of these cases are hospitalized with measles. The Health Department is posting regular updates on the City’s website. Check for the latest. Today’s updates The Health Depar ..read more

COMMON MYTHS OCTOBER 18, 2021 PRACHI SHAH  Image from https://www.2foodtrippers.com/best-american-candy/ Neha Prathivadi The expression “sugar rush” is one that has been in our vocabularies since our early childhood days. Many parents are concerned about their children’s consumption of candy and other sugary foods, because they fear it will lead to overexcitement and hyperactivity. However, is there actually a link between sugar and hyperactivity in children? Researchers seem to disagree. The concept of the “sugar rush” originated from the theory that since sugar is a source of ..read more

Fevers are often a misunderstood symptom of illness. Why do we get them and what do we do about them? A fever is a temporary rise in body temperature. It’s one part of an overall response from the body’s immune system. There are multiple reasons for fevers including infections, viruses, heat exhaustion, sometimes immunizations, and sometimes certain diseases like cancers or inflammatory illness can cause a fever. When an invader enters the body the immune system begins a cycle of macrophages, white blood cells, monocytes, and lymphocytes to begin a cytokine induction which fights the invader ..read more

January is National Eye Care Month. I recently learned about a condition called Convergence insufficiency that affects the eye muscles but rarely the actual vision of the patient. It is often missed or misdiagnosed as good vision but dyslexia or behavioral problems. Please check out this article from the American Optometric Association. Convergence insufficiency Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a common, yet not frequently diagnosed eye coordination problem in which the eyes drift outward when reading or doing close work. Causes & risk factors Convergence insufficiency (CI) is caused by a ..read more

Gunnar Gets Glasses: a totally true story about a little boy named Gunnar who needed to get glasses. Get yours on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN4SFZVL/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_86S1WD2CJJEAQ4KVHGQZ?linkCode=ml2&tag=ehunter77-20 ..read more

School health quick reference one-pagers is here! Get yours today on Amazon! https://amzn.to/40XHrRb ..read more