"There are no local students diagnosed with H1N1 at this time, Mr. Mara said; however, two students, one at Rockwell School and the other at the middle school, were confirmed to have H1N1 about two weeks ago. According to Mr. Mara, both students returned to school."

Shouldn't parents have been notified of the previous cases since other children and school objects (desks, doorknobs, etc.) were possibly exposed to H1N1??

I agree... and there's lice going around too. The nurse refuses to check the kids for lice so it just keeps going around infecting innocent kids who have good hygiene. When I was in school, I remember the whole class getting called down to the nurses' office if it was discovered that someone in the class had lice. And each and every kid would be checked.

All parents should have been notified of any previous cases of H1N1. And parents should also have a quick and easy way to find out what the absentee rate is for each school day. I think if it's more than 10%, they have to report it to the Health Department anyways.

Why does bristol/warren kids have so much head lice . I lived in bristol back in 94/95 and my boys got lice from school , and they kept getting it . I had to keep their heads shaved . We moved to seekonk and they never got it again .

My son is in 7th grade & I kept him home today. I am not normally a paranoid type of person & I have enough common sense to know that he may have already come in contact with it, but with so much conflicting info going around this week I thought it would be best to keep him out today & possibly give the school more time ( the weekend ) to do some cleaning, but also to make sure there is enough sanitizer in all classrooms ( they were out in 2 of his classes yesterday ). One of the girls in his class is in the hospital & a couple kids left yesterday with flu symptoms. I had no clue about the confirmed case a couple weeks ago....why didn't they at least send a note or have one of those automated calls go out....they have one for everything else under the sun ! Again, I'm not naive, and I know I can't protect him completely, but give me the opportunity to do so.

response to bristol123

Head lice does not come from bad hygiene, this misnomer serves as nothing but a way for other kids to degrade the kids that get it. It has been around for thousand of years and has even been discovered on Egyption Mummies.

It is just a parisite that that exist in nature that happens to only like humans. It is not the same lice the animals get and you can not get it from them. They do not jump but crawl. Most times it is the youger children that get it do to close contact playing.

This information is from a Harvard Medical study.

As for the H1N1 its such a new variation of the swine flu from the 70's it is of great concern since it is a mutation that is new. It will be some time before actual effects and how viralent it is till after the flu season. I recently read an artical on it's affects in Australia which finish their winter flu season a few months ago.

They did not have any where nears the problems expected with it. Lets hope that is the case here also. Hope this information will help people understand these things a little better.

Jack

It is a misnomer that head lice prefer dirtier hair, they actually prefer cleaner hair because it is easier to cling to to lay eggs. However, it appears to be more prevelent in less hygeinic people because they usually don't pay as much attention to themselves and the bugs have more time to proliferate. Cleaner people tend to notice them faster, therefore they get rid of them quicker. The faster they are detected and removed the less eggs they lay hence the less chance of reinfestation. The longer they have to lay eggs in dirty or clean hair the bigger the chance of transfer to other people. In cleaner hair they will lay more eggs of course because dirtier more oily hair is harder to cling to. Also thicker hair hides them better and makes it harder to detect them early on, so, all in all clean dark thick hair is the best haven.

Direct from wikipedia,

"Females get head lice more often than males, and infestation in persons of Afro-Caribbean or other black descent is rare because of hair consistency." All of this info is direct from web based sources incuding wikipedia.

Still stopping over sunday Jaqdadi. In keeping with the posting I have de loused the house so no worries. lol

Jack

Regardless... the kids should be checked and treated.

My niece attends Hugh Cole, and I asked her recently if she remembers to use the hand sanitizer on a regular basis. She said she does remember, but most of the dispensers were empty (at least the one in the cafeteria and the hallway outside of her class), and there was no soap in the bathroom either. How are kids supposed to keep their hands clean and free or germs? We tell our kids to wash frequently and use hand sanitizer, but they can't if the dispensers are empty. The custodians, school officials, office staff, or someone needs to be monitoring these dispensers and ansure that they're full.

They need to have the sanitizer on the buses too.....My son has some in his backpack, but he's a typical kid, I can't imagine he remembers when he gets off the bus to take it out of his bag & sanitize.

In regards to the head lice discussion. My daughter attends hugh cole and I received a notice home that someone in her class had head lice. She told me that the nurse checked everyone's hair in school but said that it was very quick. I've been checking her head on a regular basis. I don't think the nurse is very thorough when checking the children. Also, the day after I received the notice and since then have seen many little girls with their hair down and all over the place....I can't see why parents would not take more preventative measures. My daughters hair is tied up and braided everyday I also told her to not hug and of her friends so there is no head to head contact....hopefully she is listening to me because I do not want to deal with them!!!!!

I am a substitute teacher at Mt. Hope, and, in response to the hand sanitizer discussion, I can not speak on behalf of Hugh Cole, Kickemuit, Guiterras, Rockwell, or any other schools in the district, but I can comment on Mt. Hope's preparedness:

I teach in a VARIETY of classrooms, different every day (because I am a sub, and in for different teachers every day), and I have to say that I have only ONCE this year discovered a room lacking hand sanitizer...and that happened to be today....and ONLY because the dispenser was broken. The teacher next door, however, encouraged me and all of the students to freely enter his room to use the sanitizer if necessary.

I'm not sure who is primarily responsible for refilling these dispensers, but who ever it is MUST go over to the other schools and see to it that the depletion of the sanitizer does NOT happen.

Also, anyone notice how Mt. Hope's absentee rates have not spiked like the other schools in the district? Maybe this is why...also, the kids DEFINITELY use the hand sanitizer...religiously...I've been very impressed.

hey trod77 they jump ya know

rsponse to mikenbarb

Actually they can only crawl your thinking of fleas maybe. Lice cannot jump. Just a little info ;-}

Jack

Lice can't jump or they would be even more abundant. Like most parasites they need to stay warm and moist. They like to stay close to the scalp as that is how they feed, they drink the blood created from scratching the scalp and also from their own burrowing.

Kids in school, public or private, should be looked at by a parent at least once a week, that is the appr time it takes from egg lay to hatching. As soon as they hatch they feed and lay more eggs.

I have researched this subjuect extensively because my neice that I am raising has extremely thick, oily, and straight hair. We are very religious about keeping it clean and dry. Still it took about two years, and at least twice cutting her hair to about an inch, (very traumatic and only recommended in extreme cases), to get a grip on the problem.

Once you get them cleaned out the use a few drops of rosemary oil combed through the hair is very helpful at keeping them away.

Yes jack, at this point there are no changes.

I have heard that the flu shots will be available this week. Is it true that the vaccination drive will prioritize the pregnnt women and childeren below 6 years old?? Will they charge us for every shot?

Regards,

http://www.goldcoinsgain.com

My friend in Massachusetts said her healthy daughter received the H1N1 shot from her pediatrician 2 weeks ago in Fall River. Meanwhile here in the good ole state of RI compromised children with underlying medical conditions cannot get any protection while the virus rages all around them. My son's school is scheduled for November 30th. It takes at least 2 weeks to become effective. So Mid-December he should be protected from an epidemic which will probably be over by then. Way to go-is there anything other than corruption and graft that this state does well?

response to goldgold

You can also check on CVS, Rite AID and Walgreens site they usaually do flu clinics and it is either free or very cheap also stop an shop has done them in the past also. Here is info fron CDC or rick and ages.

High Risk Groups

· Children below 5 years

· Senior persons above 65 years

· HIV infected persons

· Diabetic patients

· Pregnant Women

· Lung & Heart patients

· Obese persons

Warning signs for children

§ Troubled or abnormal breathing

§ Bluish skin color

§ Lessened intake of water/fluids

§ Extended sleep or lack of interaction

>§ Irritable

§ Fever with rash

§ Flu-like symptoms recede, but return with fever and worsened cough

Warning signs for adults

· Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath

· Pain/pressure in chest/abdomen

· Sudden dizziness

· Confusion

· Severe or persistent vomiting

ü Seasonal flu vaccines or past immunizations DO NOT provide protection against the H1N1 virus

ü Please visit a qualified physician if you suspect Swine Flu symptoms. Avoid self-treatment

* Persons infected with the H1N1 virus may be able to pass it on 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 days after infection

Jack

Hey Jack , I use to be a bus monitor for laidlaw in warren and bristol and one of those little bugs jumped from the little girl sitting next to me onto my sleeve . I watched happen so they can jump .

Sorry mikenbarb but that could not have been head lice the can't jump they donot have leg musles to do that only enough to crawl.

Harvard scientific study on head lice. I have a lot of time on my hands at time LOL. But dog fleas can jump a real long distance.

Jack

I would please ask all posters not to comment on this child at least until the family and qualified heath officials determine cause please let them grieve in piece with out hearing inuendo or theories that anyone may post here again I say please don't do this.

The lose of a young child for any reason should not be something to debate without definitive proof of the passing and the reason which could take weeks to determine. Thanks all in advance if you agree with this. and bless this family in their time of grief.

Jack

Probably a flea, they jump very well.

I was a little surprised to see that come up, I agree, very innopropriate.

HEY JACK THANKS FOR THE CDC or rick and ages.

I HAD THE FLU LAST WEEK.i went to bristol medical center an my doc told me that day he had 10 other people that had the flu yes the flu not the swine flu. i was out of work for 5 days .1st 3 days i never left my bedroom,i have two kids an a wife no need to have them get sick. there is one thing that is making mad about the prescriptions that the doc gave me.the prescription was to treat the swine flu but the price was out of control wit insurance $85.00 without $149.00. how are we all suppose to a ford that.the swine flu an the flu is everywhere the price should be lower than that.i never bought went out an got other things an vitams. the best thing was for me was to sweat it out.

Glad your feeling better I know what you mean about perscriptions I go mail order but of course you can in that situation. We allways hit our castistrofic medicare here for last 7 years and is getting redictulous I may learn to spell that someday. But anyway hope the family stays safe take care.

Jack

by the way that wasn't anti-biotics I hope he prescribed as they are for bacterial infections and do not work on a virus far as I have allways been told by my Doctors.

Oh and boston im sure the wife was very at peace not having you in her hair for 3 days I know my wife would LOL.

P.S. make sure she didnt save your nose tissue in case she needs a break again LOL

Jack

As far as the head lice, my daughter and I are sick of it. Parents in Bristol and Warren should clean their kids' hair and frequently check thereafter. My daughter has dark thick hair. They love her. I have three other children and they have never caught it. It is true that the nurses check and send notices home but that is only in elementary school. The nurse at KMS will not check every child because there are just too many kids and there is no notice that goes home either. JUST WRONG. I have to check my daughter's hair everyday and put it in a ponytail but they still find their way to her.

Get her a flea collar, they kill lice. Or better yet, shave em all.

Response to goodportgirl

As I have said before and it is scientificly proven Hygene has nothing to do with head lice and how nice to acuse other parents in other towns are they not good parents. I am sure you are not the perfect parent with an attitude like that. Good example to teach your children that they are superior to others.

Jack

My daughter and I do not think we are Superior to others. It is true lice do like clean hair that is why they are attracted to my daughter. She does not use mouse, gel, hairspray, or color her hair but they don't just appear from no where. It has to come from someone who has them and does not clean them and so goes the cycle. That is the problem and that is where the BAD PARENT is. We are not in a third world country. There are products out there that work and easy to use.

response to goodportgirl

My oint was the way you made your statement head lice are not a 3rd world problem they are world wide. They are not easy to discover on a child and most parents have no clue the child has it until they develope into an infestation was my point. You dont know of it tell it happens to a lot of kids and then it has already spread which is why I has a problem with your theory since unless all

Prents are checking their children and themselves every single day of the year it does not matter they are part of nature. And I will say again insuating to others and espeb abd that is why they are getting it is plain and simpley wrong. Not saying your a bad parent just that it is wrong to misinform children of this because they will pick on others it is the way children are. Better to tell them they are a problem in nature and no-one is immune to them for any reason.

Head Lice are small blood-sucking, wingless insects found on the human scalp. They are six legged creatures with claws, which help them cling to and crawl through human hair. They live by feeding off a human host, piercing their scalp with their mouthpart to draw out the blood. Their survival needs necessitate spending their whole life cycle on a human host.

Head Lice origin dates back to the origin of human life. Humans are indispensable to their survival. Head lice are most commonly found in school children, with the most vulnerable age being 4-11 years old. They do not discriminate between rich or poor neither do they have any preference towards dirty or clean hair.

Jack

excuse the mispellings I didnt use MSword.

jack