Health Education and the Law

1. Health Education and the Law By Former Students

2. Common Health Problems

3. Asthma • Description • Chronic inflammation disorder of the airways • breathlessness and wheezing. • Causes • Allergic (pollen, feathers, dust mites, pet dander, second hand smoke) • Non-allergic (stress, anxiety, exercise, cold or viral particles in the air) • Symptoms • Coughing, irregular breathing, wheezing, fever, stomach and chest pain, unusual fatigue. • Treatment • Calm down, drink fluids, inhaler. • Educational considerations • Teachers must be informed of any specific allergies, types of reactions, and how to handle any problems. • Prognosis • Can be treated with medication and return to normal activity.

4. Diabetes • Description • Body not producing or using the hormone, insulin. • Environmental and behavioral factors. • Type 1: Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus • Type 2: Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus • Causes • Lack of insulin production/ inadequate use of insulin in bloodstream • Symptoms • Excessive eating, drinking, urination, weakness, nausea, weight loss, dry skin, blurred vision, constipation, abdominal pain • Treatment • Insulin injections or pump, diet, exercise. • Educational Considerations • School nurse and parent communication, participation in all school activities (pump), observant teacher. • Prognosis • With regular exercise, weight management, and monitoring of blood kids can lead a normal life.

5. Epilepsy/ Seizure Disorder • Description: • Disturbances in normal electrical functions of the brain. • Nerve functions interrupted by intermittent bursts of intense electrical energy. • Causes: • Birth • Exposure to toxic agents, infections or structural abnormalities. • Symptoms: • Convulsion, fever, blackout, confused memory, fainting spells, in which • bladder or bowel control is lost, blank staring, periods of no response, • muscle jerks of arms, legs or body. • Treatment: • Medicine (anticonvulsants) • Surgery • Educational Considerations: • Teachers to be informed. • Maintain safe environment, be calm, do not restrain student. • State law requires inclusion of specific triggers for seizures in student Individual Health Plan. • Prognosis: • Most live a normal life and students can participate in all recreational and educational activities.

6. Medical Jargon Reservoir of Infection (Host) Fomite Antibody Infectious Agent (Pathogen) Portal of Entry Portal of Exit

7. Common Childhood Illnesses • Impetigo • Bacteria Disease causing skin lesions (Streptococcus) • Antibiodicapplied locally supervised by doctor • Contagious – SHOULD LEAVE SCHOOL • Epistaxis (nosebleed) • Adverse reaction in the nasal cavity. • Lean forward and apply pressure to alleviate • Not Contagious – STAY IN CLASS

8. Pink Eye Vs. Sty • Bacteria induced inflammation or infection of the eye membrane • Antibiotic Eye Drops can relieve symptoms in days • Highly Contagious – SHOULD LEAVE SCHOOL. • Localized infection or abscess of the sebacious gland • Treated with a cold compress and allowed to drain naturally • Not Easily Contagious – STAY IN CLASS

9. Duty to Protect

10. Duty to protectDuty to supervise • Physical Plant Bullying Cyberbullying Field Trips Report any accident, suspicion of violence ASAP in writing!

11. The Right to Safe Schools (1982 Amendment to California Constitution) • Code of Ethics –Protect the health and safety of students. • Safe School Planning – comprehensive safety plan, emergency procedures, staff training, criminal background checks. • Relationships of trust –Adult teacher is responsible for minors during school hours: “In loco parentis;” concept of reasonable person • Duty to Protect – Maintenance of Facilities: lighting, temperature, noise, slip/trip hazards, emergency evacuation routes. • Duty to Supervise – Field trips: have parents sign permission slips in advance; arrange for safe transportation; adequate adult to student ratio

12. Bullying and Cyberbullying • Forms of Bullying: • Physical, Verbal, Psychological • Cyberbullying - Magnifies the Harm: • Widespread dissemination of rumors, photos • Lasts “forever” in cyberspace • Direct contributor to teen suicide • What Teachers/Schools Can Do: • Define bullying and establish a policy • Communicate clear consequences • Safeguard honesty / anonymity of reporters • Develop Empathy/Encourage student support • Monitor electronic devices • This too shall pass”

13. Child Abuse & Neglect

14. Defining Abuse • Definition: “any non-accidental act of commission or omission that endangers a child’s physical, mental, or emotional well being.” (Mead, 1985) e.g., Assault, Corporal Punishment, Neglect, Inadequate Supervision, Sexual Abuse, or Exploitation. • Signs & Symptoms: Injuries to several body surfaces, extreme provocativeness at an early age, STDs: oral, anal, or rectal; Withdrawal from social relationships; Apathy, private about an injury, or, substance abuse.

15. Behavior Indicators and Causes • Behavior Indicators: Freighted of going home Freighted or over protective of parent Withdrawal Chronic fatigue Overly compliant Academic failure or sudden drop in grades • Causes: Parent abused as a child Delay in maternal infant bonding Unrealistic expectations Over punishment Parental stress Social isolation • Remember Teachers are Mandatory Reporters!

16. Duty to Report: How you could lose your credential

17. Credential Loss • Every instructor is responsible for the well being of the students, and his or her self as well. • Responsible for making every instructional material available for inspection • -Non-compliance = suspended or revoke credential (EC 44421) • Documentation… paper trail is key

18. In addition… • Convicted of any sex offense (EC 44010) • Convicted of Narcotics (EC 44011) • Found to be insane by a federal or state court (EC 44424) • To sum it all up… you don’t want to end up on the 6 o’clock news.

19. Your must go-to website • Commission on Teacher Credentialing • www.ctc.ca.gov

20. Discipline

21. Disciplining Students • “California law gives educators the responsibility to maintain a moral, educational and disciplined school environment.” • All schools are required to give students and their parents/guardians the rules of the school • All schools should have the same rules regarding activities that result in suspension or expulsion • Things like: Causing physical injury, robbery, bringing dangerous weapons, alcohol and drugs, etc.

22. Limits of Discipline • No Corporal Punishment • The same restrictions on regulations concerning speech, religion and association that limit the federal government under the First Amendment apply to the states under the Fourteenth Amendment. • The right of students to free expression is thus constitutional and statutory. • The Education Code grants students the right to distribute printed materials or petitions and make use of bulletin boards. • Limits of free expression: • Even if an activity amounts to “speech” or “expression,” a school may still prohibit or regulate the activity if: 1) it creates a clear and present danger of substantial disruption; 2) it contains prohibited content; or 3) the school is not completely prohibiting the activity, but merely regulating the “time, place or manner in which it is conducted.”

23. Criminal Activity

24. The Don’ts • Zero tolerance for threats • Growing concern for hazing • Understand the parameters of theft • Possession of aerosol cans and markers • Possession of Drugs & Alcohol

25. Criminal Procedures • Clarity is Key • Communicate with Superiors • Drug Dogs/Locker & Vehicle Searches.

26. Safety is Key Creating a safe environment: -Know your students -Seizure of items -Detention & physically restraining students