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HEALTHY STUDENTS LEARN BETTER...

...and are more successful in school! The goal of the OCDE is for all students to succeed. We recognize the importance of health and its relationship to learning. Health is more than the absence of disease. We want our students to experience wellness and achieve their greatest potential. Coordinated school health programs, which include nursing and health services, promote health and wellness. Our mission is to serve students, schools, parents, and the community to promote optimal health for our schools and community. The OCDE provides the support our schools need to maintain a healthy environment that fosters learning.

The OCDE provides countywide leadership in school health and nursing services; and consultation and direction for the implementation and development of coordinated school health programs. For assistance please contact:

Pamela Kahn, RN, MPH

Coordinator, Health and Wellness

714-327-1057

pkahn@ocde.us

Rocio Vitko

Administrative Assistant

714-327-1062

rvitko@ocde.us

School Health in the News

School Nurses are in Short Supply: What Parents Should Ask About On-Site Medical Aid for the School Year
by Anya Martin for The Marketwatch.com (Wall Street Journal Digital Network)

For a Healthy School Year, Get Your Kids Vaccinated
© 2010, Chicago Tribune

Scoliosis Test Lets Children Avoid Brace
© 2010, The New York Times

Pertussis Update

Urging Californians to get vaccinated now, Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), warned today that the state is on pace to suffer the most illnesses and deaths due to pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in 50 years.“Whooping cough is now an epidemic in California,” Horton said. “Children should be vaccinated against the disease and parents, family members and caregivers of infants need a booster shot.”

Pertussis is a highly contagious disease. Unimmunized or incompletely immunized young infants are particularly vulnerable. A typical case of pertussis in children and adults starts with a cough and runny nose for one-to-two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever is rare.

In response to the increased level of disease, the CDPH broadened recommendations for immunizing against pertussis. In addition to the typical series of childhood pertussis immunizations,CDPH now recommends an adolescent/adultpertussis booster vaccine (Tdap) for:

Anyone 7 years and older who is not fully immunized, including those over 64 years old
Women of childbearing age, before, during, or immediately after pregnancy
Other people who have contact with pregnant women or infants

Vaccine is widely available from medical providers, including community clinics, throughout Orange County. Individuals that do not have medical insurance covering the vaccination or who are unable to obtain the vaccination from their healthcare provider may obtain vaccine free of charge from the Health Care Agency’s Immunization Clinic located at 1725 W. 17th St., Santa Ana, CA 92706, Monday through Friday from 8-11 a.m. or 1-3 p.m. for more information, visit the Health Care Agency's website at http://ochealthinfo.com or call the Health Referral Line at 1-800-564-8448.

The Orange County Health Care Agency will be holding a free Pertussis/Whooping Cough Vaccine Clinic on Saturday, September 11 and September 25. Click here for details.