February 2008 Frostbite and Winter Days

When the temperatures fall into the below zero range and the wind chill increases, the RI Department of Health recommends the following:
To prevent frostbite or hypothermia (low body temperature), avoid going outdoors unless necessary and be dressed for the extreme cold.
The higher the wind, the shorter the outdoor safe exposure time.
A healthy, properly dressed, active person (including children and adolescents) can be outside for a few minutes in severed cold without harm but should stay indoors as much as possible. Temperature and wind chill combined can damage skin or extremities (nose, ears, hands, feet) in less than 15 minutes.
Children should not play or walk outside or be left standing at the bus stop.
If you must be outside, seek a shelter or windbreaker of sorts.

At the first signs of redness or pain in any skin area, get out of the cold or
protect any exposed skin. Frostbite may be beginning. The signs of actual frostbite include:
A white or grayish-yellow skin area (“ashy” if dark-skinned)
Skin that feels unusually firm or waxy
Numbness – which means the victim may be unaware of frostbite

Outdoor, cold weather dressing has three main safety principles:
Wear as many loose fitting layers as possible, topped by a winter coal to jacket.
Minimize skin exposure outside (hats that cover the ears, mittens rather than gloves, ski masks or scarves over the face, heavy socks and shoes)
Change any damp clothing immediately (especially socks and underwear)

Those most at risk in the cold (indoors or outside) are:
Elderly persons (even 65 degrees indoors may be too cold if the person is inactive), with inadequate food or poorly dressed or living alone.
Babies sleeping in cold rooms
Children left unattended
Anyone with circulatory problems or taking high blood pressure medication
Adults under the influence of alcohol
Mentally ill individuals
Those people who remain outdoors for long periods of time (outdoor employees, runners, hikers, and homeless)
Smoking constricts blood vessels/limits blood flow/increases susceptibility to the cold.
Certain medications, which may increase risk of hypothermia, check with your pharmacist or health care provider.

Have a safe and enjoyable February vacation. March: Dental Screenings with Dr. Bush

Pre-K required immunizations:

Completed series of 3 Hepatitis B

Varicella vaccine or documentation having chicken pox

4 Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DPT/DTaP)

4 Pneumococcal Conjugate

3 Polio

4 Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (HIB)

1 Measles, Mumps, Rubella

Physical Examination if new to Pre-K

K requires the following immunizations and current physical:

Completed series of 3 Hepatitis B

Varicella vaccine or documentation having chicken pox

5 Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP/DTaP)

4 Polio

4 HIB

2 Measles, Mumps, Rubella

Vision screening

Lead screening

Physical Examination

Students entering grades 1-6: Same requirements for K except lead and vision screening.

Students entering grade 6 and who are interested in playing sports are required to submit a current physical examination.

7 th Grade requires the following:

Completed series of 3 Hepatitis B

Varicella vaccine or documentation having chicken pox

5 DTP/DTaP

4 Polio

2 Measles, Mumps, Rubella

Tetanus or TdaP booster

Scoliosis screening

Physical Examination

8 th grade students who are new to Jamestown School must follow the 7 th grade requirements.

The appropriate form must be mailed to the School Nurse-Teacher before the first day of school.