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Ala. (WTVY) – Health officials are warning parents that a grueling summer for children’s health is about to get worse as cram packed classrooms become breeding grounds for disease
For healthy children, standard back-to-school germs are an expected hurdle. But for the more than 40% of American school-aged children living with chronic illnesses like asthma, those same germs pose a severe and potentially life-threatening threat
“Illnesses are inevitable,” Enterprise Pediatrician Dr. Nola Ernest said, warning that standard back-to-school cohabitation can quickly turn dangerous. “We want to be careful and mindful of all of the other people that might not be able to manage that.”
Health experts say the defense starts with behavioral changes: teaching children to use fist bumps instead of high-fives, to avoid drinking after classmates, and to give each other physical space when speaking
But when those preventative measures fail, school officials say accurate paperwork and open communication become the thin line protecting vulnerable students
“We just have to communicate with one another,” Ozark City Schools Lead Nurse Angela Wessner said. “If you let us know what’s going on, we can help you.”
Wessner warned that parents must stop treating school health forms as an afterthought, stating that simply checking “no” on medical histories is not an option when a child’s safety is on the line. She urges parents of sick students to keep them home and coordinate remote lesson plans with teachers
Parents can find state-required immunization schedules on the Alabama Department of Public Health website
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