If your student has a severe or life threatening allergy, please remember to inform Nurse Diane Bower at 847-582-7335. If your students allergies require the use of an Epi-pen and Benadryl, please make sure an annually renewed Medication Authorization Form is on file in the Health Office. One Epi-pen should be left in the Health Office and one Epi-pen should be left with your student at all times. Likewise, if a student needs an asthma inhaler, please notify the Health Office and provide Nurse Bower with the appropriate medications. Please call 847-582-7335 if you have any further questions or concerns.

SEASON FOR ALLERGIES/ASTHMA

A recent CDC survey finds that one in five High School students have asthma. Although, temperatures below 32 may eliminate many pollens and weed triggers, indoor substances can also aggravate the allergy/ asthma combination. In addition to dust mites, molds and pet dander, holiday decorations that have been in storage can also be major allergy/asthma triggers.

• Use gas fireplaces instead of woodburning.
• Wash with warm sudsy water all packed away decorations. Rewash when storing them back.
• Avoid scented candles, incense and potpourri.
• Very cold temperatures can be a trigger for asthma. Wear a scarf around the nose and mouth while outside and even in the car till it warms up.

Controlling and preventing symptoms is always preferable to having to treat full blown symptoms.

All parents should be aware that it is in their student's best interest to be vaccinated against bacterial meningitis. The old Menomune vaccine's coverage was only 4-6 years. Therefore, we were only recommending that students receive it in their senior year of high school. The highest incidence of bacterial meningitis is freshman and sophomore year of college.

However, the new vaccine Menactra, has 8-10 years coverage. Therefore, many of the pediatric groups are offering this vaccine to 12-13 year-olds. Please ask your doctor about this for your student. Also, PLEASE be aware that you may receive this vaccination at the Board of Health Immunization Clinic, 2303 Dodge Ave in Waukegan (847-377-8470) from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. It is also offered at Lake Forest Hospital on the fourth Saturday of every month from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. You are eligible to receive this vaccine for $8.00 if you do not have medical insurance, your medical insurance does not cover vaccinations, or by using Medicaid or Kidcare card. Please call Diane Bower, RN at 847-582-7335 with further questions.

An acute viral infection that is characterized by fever, malaise, sore throat, "swollen glands," enlarged spleen and liver. There is a wide spectrum in the severity of symptoms. Sometimes symptoms may be so mild that many people don't even realize they have had it. Interestingly, 90% of adults will test positive for the Epstein Barr Virus, yet most of those people can't remember having "mono." Adults are often misdiagnosed if they do have mononucleosis when they present with symptoms due to the rarity of infection in the adult population. I am often asked if a person can get mono more than once. True Mononucleosis is thought to be caused by the Epstein Barr Virus. However, other "bugs" can cause similar symptoms; hence the confusion. Dr. Virginia Kaperick, a pediatric hospitalist at Lake Forest Hospital, states that the "greatest majority of cases are caused by EBV(Epstein-Barr Virus). Other pathogens can cause mono-like illness:CMV(Cytomegalovirus), Adenoviruses, HSV(Herpes Simplex Virus), Toxoplasma, etc., Transmission is through saliva of an infected person throughout the duration of symptoms: there is no air or blood transmission. Many healthy people can carry and shed the virus intermittently for life."

The treatment of routine cases would consist of

1. rest according to the degree of illness until the fever is gone.
2. Plenty of liquids.
3. Tylenol or Advil for elevated temperature or discomfort.
4. Warm saline gargles.
5. No contact sports.
6. Antibiotics only if there is a Strep infection which happens in 10-30% of cases.
7. Steroids are only used if there are life threatening threats of airway obstruction

(Recent studies have linked their use to encephalitis and myocarditis.)

Student athletes should only return to sports or PE class when they have been cleared by their doctor. The main concern here is a decreased immune system and an enlarged spleen and liver which could become injured during contact sports.