Creative Tutors of Wake County, North Carolina

The Five Illnesses That Affect School Attendence - #4 Conjunctivitis

August is here and most of the year round schools are in full swing with traditional calendar schools gearing up for their first day.  Families are making school preparations, too. Classrooms crowded with kids are ideal environments for germ growth.  Here are the top 5 illnesses that cause children to miss school and ways you can prepare: common cold, stomach flu, ear infections, conjunctivitis and sore throats.

Follow up:

Conjunctivitis -  Conjunctivitis is also called Pink Eye due to the inflammation of the clear membrane that covers the white part of the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelids, which causes the eye to look red or pink.  Both viral and bacterial infections are very contagious.  Signs of Pink Eye include redness, itching, burning, stinging, pain of one or both eyes, blurred vision, light sensitivity and excessive tearing.  Additionally.....
Allergic conjunctivitis causes itching, redness and excessive tearing in both eyes. Your nose also may be stuffy, itchy and runny.
Bacterial conjunctivitis often spreads to both eyes and causes a heavy, sometimes greenish discharge.  Crusts may appear on eyelids.
Viral conjunctivitis usually affects only one eye, which has excessive watering and a light discharge.

Ways to prevent Pink Eye include:
-Wash your hands often with soap and water.  If this is not possible, carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer and use as needed.
-Encourage your child not to rub their eyes.
-Do not share towels.

If your child contracts Pink Eye....
-Wipe the eye with warm, moist towels.
-Everyone needs to wash hands frequently to prevent spread of the infection.
-See your doctor for antibiotic eye drops if the problem is bacterial.
-Allergy medications if the pink eye is secondary to allergies.

Categories: Auditory Processing, Allergies, General Education, Health and Nutrition | Permalink | Send feedback »

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Meet Kim Ashby | Owner

Kim Ashby earned a BS in Nursing from The Catholic University of America and, when she worked outside the home, was a Certified Emergency Nurse with a special interest in trauma nursing. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and three sons. The Ashbys have home schooled their children since 1999. They graduated their oldest son in May 2007. He is attending UNC Wilmington. Kim continues to home school her younger boys. Her oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was in the public school system in the second grade. Her second son has cerebral palsy which has resulted in multiple/global developmental delays. Her youngest son has undiagnosed, mild auditory processing issues.

Kim has co-instructed graduate level courses at UNC Chapel Hill for ST/OT students and Early Intervention students. She is the founder and President of the Board of Directors of GIFTSNC, Inc., a home schooling special needs support group. Kim has presented workshops at a variety of state home school conferences as well as local support group parent meetings and is often a guest speaker at homeschool conferences and is found on many guest speaker lists including Balancing the Sword. She is a Steering Committee member and former Treasurer for Dayspring Home Educators in Cary, NC. She served on the Board of Directors for the Family Support Network of Wake County. She holds a North Carolina Wildlife Permit for Small Mammal Rehabilitation and enjoys working with orphaned and injured wildlife.

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Mark Twain