Currently there is a surge of pediatric pneumonia cases across the US and in NWA. According to the CDC, the incidence of Pneumonia and acute bronchitis related to Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria have increased since late spring and have remained high, particularly in children between 5 and 17. 

Infections caused by M. pneumoniae are typically mild, often resembling a common cold, but they can also manifest as pneumonia. The onset of symptoms like fever, cough, headache, sore throat, sneezing, nasal congestion, or runny nose is often gradual and easy to overlook or dismiss. When an M. pneumoniae infection escalates to pneumonia, it generally presents as a milder variant known as "walking pneumonia." Still, while most infections don't cause serious illness, complications can include progression to more serious pneumonia, asthma exacerbations, and, on rare occasions, encephalitis. Diagnosis can only be made with a chest x-ray and treatment requires antibiotics.

The surge has been widespread, with health departments and pediatric providers nationwide releasing statements reporting on the trend.  We ask that you keep your children home if they have a temperature above 100 degrees, have a persistent cough or are generally feeling ill along with above mentioned symptoms.  You may call or email your child's school nurse if you have any questions or concerns. 

Follow the link for vaccination information from AR Children's hospital.

HPV VACCINATION INFORMATION

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS IN ARKANSAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ACT 1438 of 2005  AN ACT TO MANDATE EYE AND VISION SCREENING PROCEDURES AND TESTS FOR CHILDREN requires screenings of Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th graders. Any new students to the district are also required to be screened, regardless of grade.

The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health (NCCVEH) reports that up to 1 in 17 preschool-aged children, 1 in 5 Head Start children, and an estimated 1 in 4 school-aged children have an undetected and untreated vision disorder that can interfere with their ability to develop properly and perform optimally in school. Conducting vision screening within these age groups will detect amblyopia (wandering eye) and uncorrected amblyopia risk factors such as hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism (imperfection in the curvature of the eye), and anisometropia (asymmetric vision).

Impaired vision can seriously impede learning. Early identification and treatment can prevent or alleviate many vision problems.  If your child is found to have failed the vision testing you will be notified by letter.

Approximately 15% of children in the US have hearing loss in one or both ears. Additionally, studies suggest that noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is on the rise, with one in every six to eight middle and high school students experiencing detectable hearing loss likely due to excessive exposure to noise. 

Hearing loss can seriously impede learning. Early identification and treatment can prevent the consequences of many hearing problems.  The consequences of untreated hearing loss on a student's development are profound, potentially leading to delayed intellectual, social, speech, language, and academic development. It's crucial that any student with a positive screen is promptly referred to their primary care provider for further consultation and diagnostic testing. 

You will receive a letter from your school nurse if your child fails the hearing screening and is referred for further testing.

Contact your child's school nurse if you have any questions or concerns.