• National Diabetes Month
• Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month
• National Epilepsy Awareness Month
• National Healthy Skin Month
• 11/2: National Stress Awareness Day
• 11/20: GERD Awareness Week

A person can swallow their tongue during a seizure. MYTH—Your tongue is attached and isn’t going anywhere during a seizure.

People die from having a seizure. FACT—Rarely, people will die from having a seizure.

Kids with epilepsy are all in special education. MYTH—Most kids with epilepsy attend regular classes.

Only kids can have epilepsy. MYTH—People of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds can have epilepsy.

Epilepsy can be caused by anything that hurts the brain including head injuries, infections, and brain tumors. FACT—Sometimes brain injuries can cause epilepsy. You can protect yourself from brain injury by wearing a helmet when riding a bike and playing sports.

Genetics sometimes play a role in having epilepsy. FACT—Epilepsy can run in the family.

You should hold someone who is having a seizure. MYTH—Holding or restraining a person during a seizure could injure that person or yourself. If you see someone having a seizure you should: speak calmly; move things out of the way and keep them away from streets, stairs, and furniture; time the seizure and call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes; and explain to others what is happening.

Sometimes seizures look like day dreaming. FACT—Sometimes a person having a seizure may look like they are daydreaming or staring at something that isn’t there.

Most seizures last a few seconds to a few minutes. FACT—If you see someone having a seizure, time it. If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, call 911.

• Norovirus
• RSV
• Influenza (Flu)
• Strep throat
• Common cold

The best defense against these illnesses is very simple... hand hygiene! Washing hands thoroughly and often can prevent illness that would otherwise keep us from work/school.

It is important to do our part by also wiping down commonly touched surfaces, such as door handles, desks, phone, keyboard, etc. at either the beginning or end of each day, unless it is visibly soiled.

Please keep an eye out for any students who you may think are having a difficult time seeing. Some signs to look for:

• squinting
• frequent headaches
• complaining of eye pain
• rubbing eyes excessively

If you know of any students, please send them down to see me.

• Head lice can jump from one child’s head to another True/False
• Head lice are wingless insects that hold onto the hair, feeding from the blood in the scalp True/False
• A child with clean hair cannot get head lice True/False
• Head lice range in size from a period to a sesame seed True/False
• Nits are the empty egg cases left on the hair after the lice have hatched True/False
• Head lice can be commonly caught by sharing things like hairbrushes, towels or bedding True/False
• Animals can carry and pass on head lice True/False

False; True; False; True; True; False; False

As we are coming into holiday season, our lives tend to become chaotic, which leads to stress. It is important to be self aware. We need to protect our mental health, which plays a crucial role on our physical health. Simple changes can make a big difference:

• Eating healthier food options during the holidays
• Get your body moving
• Keeping a schedule
• Taking time for yourself
• Taking a break from social media
• Read a new book
• Listen to a podcast

Please check out these FREE activities/resources that the Greater Flint Health Coalition has to offer. Feel free to share these resources with any student/parent you know that is in need.

Every Monday during October and November I will be having 2 nursing students from The University of Michigan - Flint with me during their community clinical rotation. I will be getting a new set of students every three weeks. During their 2nd or 3rd week, they would like to come to your classrooms to teach a quick topic OR read a book to your class.

example of topics:

• Hand hygiene
• Oral hygiene
• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Etc.

If you would like to have my students in your classroom, please sign up here and indicate which topic or if you would like them to read.

I appreciate all of your support!

As always, feel free to contact me any time you have questions or concerns. Let me know if there is something you would like to see more or less of.

Jordan VanRiper, RN BSN

District Nurse

Lake Fenton Community Schools

810-591-3692/810-591-6308

jvanriper@lakefentonschools.org