Dear Patriot Families,

Queridas Familias Patriotas

I am Nurse Hiram Velazquez.  I will be the School Nurse at Patrick Henry Middle School and would like to welcome all the students and parents. I look forward to taking care of your child for the 2023-2024 school year. To ensure your child’s health and safety, I would like to share some information with you.

Soy la enfermera Hiram Velázquez. Seré la enfermera escolar en la escuela secundaria Patrick Henry y me gustaría darles la bienvenida a todos los estudiantes y padres. Espero poder cuidar de su hijo durante el año escolar 2023-2024. Para garantizar la salud y seguridad de su hijo, me gustaría compartir información con usted.

Medications/Medicamentos

• If your child will need to take prescribed or over-the-counter medication at school click here to see required documents.
• NO child is to carry PRESCRIPTION OR OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS to school. An adult will be asked to pick up the medication.
• If you administer medication to your child before he/she comes to school, which could affect their performance, please send a note to the teacher.
• Si su hijo necesitará tomar medicamentos recetados o de venta libre en la escuela, haga clic aquí para ver los documentos requeridos.
• NINGÚN niño debe llevar MEDICAMENTOS RECETADOS O SIN RECETA a la escuela. Se le pedirá a un adulto que recoja el medicamento.
• Si le administra medicamentos a su hijo antes de que venga a la escuela, lo que podría afectar su desempeño, envíe una nota al maestro.

Screening/Poner en pantalla

• Students will have their vision and hearing checked during the school year and you will be notified if further testing is needed.
• Dental Exam consent forms will be sent out during the school year for all grades.
• A los estudiantes se les revisará la visión y la audición durante el año escolar y se le notificará si es necesario realizar más pruebas.
• Los formularios de consentimiento para exámenes dentales se enviarán durante el año escolar para todos los grados.

Immunizations/Vacunas

• You will be notified during the school year if your child needs an immunization.
• Vaccinations are required for all students in the state of Texas. 
• Se le notificará durante el año escolar si su hijo necesita una vacuna.
• Se requieren vacunas para todos los estudiantes en el estado de Texas.

 Illness/Enfermedad

• Students should remain home for a temperature of 100.4 or above and can return when they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Pink Eye: Please keep your child home if their eye/s are red/pink, have excessive drainage, are painful, itching or swollen. Students should see their doctor to rule out bacterial conjunctivitis and get a doctor's note before returning to school.
• Rashes: Please keep your child home if they have a rash accompanied by a fever, not acting like themselves (tired, fussy), if the rash covers large areas on the body, or if the rash is leaking fluid that cannot be contained. Students should see their doctor to rule out contagious rashes and get a doctor's note before returning to school.
• Diarrhea: Students should remain home until free of diarrhea for 24 hours. Diarrhea is defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics as two or more watery or very loose stools that occur suddenly. 
• Vomiting: Students should remain home until free of vomiting for 24 hours and able to eat/drink.
• Los estudiantes deben permanecer en casa con una temperatura de 100.4 o más y pueden regresar cuando no tengan fiebre durante 24 horas sin el uso de medicamentos para reducir la fiebre.
• Conjuntivitis: Mantenga a su hijo en casa si sus ojos están enrojecidos/rosados, tienen secreción excesiva, dolor, picazón o hinchazón. Los estudiantes deben consultar a su médico para descartar conjuntivitis bacteriana y obtener una nota médica antes de regresar a la escuela.
• Erupciones: Mantenga a su hijo en casa si tiene una erupción acompañada de fiebre, si no se comporta como ellos mismos (cansado, inquieto), si la erupción cubre áreas grandes del cuerpo o si la erupción pierde líquido que no se puede contener. Los estudiantes deben consultar a su médico para descartar erupciones contagiosas y obtener una nota del médico antes de regresar a la escuela.
• Diarrea: Los estudiantes deben permanecer en casa hasta que no tengan diarrea durante 24 horas. La Academia Estadounidense de Pediatría define la diarrea como dos o más deposiciones acuosas o muy blandas que ocurren repentinamente.
• Vómitos: Los estudiantes deben permanecer en casa hasta que no tengan vómitos durante 24 horas y puedan comer/beber. 

     Students should remain home for vomiting if:

1. a) Vomiting more than once, with or without the presence of a fever.
2. b) Continue to feel ill after vomiting. Not able to participate in school.
3. c) Not eating or drinking or they vomit after eating or drinking.

• Difficulty Breathing/Severe coughing: Child should see their doctor and remain home until it is better or cleared by the doctor to return to school.

Please provide doctor's, dentist, etc... notes to the school anytime your child is seen.

I hope everyone has a safe and healthy school year. Please let me know if I can be of any help throughout the school year. --- Hiram Velazaquez, RN

Click on this link for forms and other helpful information: Houston ISD Health and Medical Services Department