Parent/Guardian Information and Communication

The ESC of Central Ohio recognizes that the parents and guardians of the district's students will be in a direct observational role in maintaining student health and decreasing the potential for the spread of the H1N1 virus. For this reason, consistent communication with parents will be maintained regarding prevention and response measures associated with the H1N1 flu. Additionally, it is our goal to prepare parents and guardians for outcomes associated not only with the presence of H1N1 virus in their home, but also in the classroom, school building, school district or community.

Prevention Education for Parents/Guardians of Students attending an ESC Program Recommends:

• Practice good hand hygiene by encouraging household members to wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Mouth and nose should be covered when a cough or sneeze occurs. If a tissue is not available, a cough or sneeze should be directed into the elbow or shoulder; not into the hands.
• Any household member who is sick should stay home for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever reducing medicine).  Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves, rather than sharing them with others.
• Get your family vaccinated for both seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 flu when vaccines are available (see additional information regarding vaccination on page 34 of this document.) 
• Plan for childcare at home if your child gets sick or their school is dismissed. 
• Monitor the health of both a sick child and any other children in the household by checking for fever and other symptoms of flu. 
• Talk to your healthcare provider if you have children who are at higher risk of serious disease from the flu. Children at high risk of serious disease from the flu include: children under 5 years of age and those children with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, immune suppression, heart disease or kidney disease.
• Identify a separate room in the house for the care of sick family members. 
• Update emergency contact lists.

Recommendations for Parents/Guardians Taking Care of Household Members Affected by H1N1 Flu:

• Protect household members by maintaining a separate room for those who are ill and having them wear a facemask. 
• Cover coughs and sneezes and take precaution when disposing of soiled tissues and linens. 
• Good hand hygiene should be practiced by both the ill household members and those caring for them. 
• Monitor the health status of all household members by watching for flu symptoms and checking temperatures. A fever is a temperature greater than or equal to 100 degrees.
• Check with your physician regarding preventative treatment for well household members. 
• If flu conditions become more severe in the home and/or community, parents and guardians should consider the following steps: 
• Extend the time sick children stay home for at least 7 days, even if they feel better sooner. People who are still sick after 7 days should continue to stay home until at least 24 hours after symptoms have completely gone away. 
• If a household member is sick, keep any school-aged brothers or sisters home for 5 days from the time the household member became sick. Parents should monitor their health and the health of other school-aged children for fever and other symptoms of the flu.

For H1N1-related school closures:

ESC of Central Ohio: http://www.escofcentralohio.org/news/h1n1

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  http://www.cdc.gov/FluSchoolDismissal
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:  http://www.flu.gov/
Center for Disease Control:  http://www.cdc.gov
World Health Organization:  http://www.who.int/en/

Franklin County Board of Health:  http://www.co.franklin.oh.us/board_of_health/
Delaware County Board of Health:  http://www.delawarehealth.org/
Union County Board of Health:  http://www.uchd.net/
The Ohio Department of Education:  http://www.ode.state.oh