[lilia123]

I have been a school nurse x 2yrs and this spring I am seeing more "allergy eyes"...I give the elementary school students cold compresses (gauze & ice water), but one after the other is just too much. Between 12-2pm is when we see most of these students, the nurse room looks like a zoo, literally standing room only at times. Any suggestions, its hard to write a note to each parent about allergy meds, but we do try. Where they play outside,its just dirt..they are trying to plant grass but no luck, so the dry dirt & pollen is making this season worst. Plus in winter this is mud!! this is an urban school too.
what to do?

[manna1qd]

I don't see any reason they can't have a paper towel cool compress in class (or one you supply if you want to). Some kids should get by with that. They can make a trip to the bathroom to rinse their faces and/or get a cool compress when they come in from recess. Only the worst ones should be sent to the nurse.

Can you make a standard form letter explaining that the child has this condition and parent/gardian should consider some interventions. You could request they consider OTC or see their family doctor after talking with the child about what is happening at school. Let them know you can take a call if they are confused about it.

Parents need to be on top of it. This year is bad for us too (Eastern Pa). I would consider a heads up to the parents next Spring to maybe have them be proactive. This might be a reminder for parents who know the child will have a problem but just isn't thinking about having benadryl at school because it isn't yet a problem.

Hope it helps. I know what the standing room is about.

[lilia123]

thanks for the advice, for the older kids we tell them to wash their hands and rinse their faces. The other nurse will write that letter to the children affected with allergies right before allergy season starts