With the turn of the calendar to August and department stores putting out the back to school sales, it is important to review medical conditions that come with heading back to school. Medical algorithms are suggested throughout the discussion which focus on common back to school health conditions.
Heat Related Conditions
Student-athletes starting outdoor practices, whether football, track & field, cheerleading, etc. need to remain hydrated and should be allowed frequent hydration breaks and rest to reflect their physical exertion and the environmental conditions.
Each year, thousands of athletes and non-athletes suffer from heat-related illness. When a patient is being evaluated with heat-related illness, clinicians can utilize the Heat Illness Severity Index (HISI) from the University of South Florida.
Additional heat related algorithms from The Medical Algorithms Company:
- UV Index and time of day to help a person to modify the extent of sun exposure
- Identify medical conditions that are associated with decreased tolerance for environmental heat stress
Food Borne Illness
Schools and daycare facilities are common sources for viral outbreaks. Norovirus, which affects over 2 million people every year in the United States has been in the news cycle seemingly every month over the past year. Whether schools, daycares, or cruise ships, healthcare workers can review the control the spread of norovirus during an outbreak.
Additionally, doctors, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team can remind their patients that when baking for a child’s classroom or an office birthday or anytime they cook with eggs, they can reduce risk for spread of Salmonella enteritidis via raw or undercooked shell eggs.
Common Virus
Back-to-school is an exciting time (mostly for parents) but frequent illnesses from common viruses comes with it. Adequate hand washing needs to be reinforced by parents and teachers to limit missed days of school or work and enable students to remain in school to learn.
Referencing medical algorithms for often common conditions enables members of the healthcare team to keep consistency during their evaluations and prevent mistakes during assessment.
