OUR HEALTH CENTRE
If your child is showing signs of illness such as coughs and colds we ask that you please keep them home. Although colds and flus are common in schools by staying away, seeking medical attention (if required) and practicing good hygiene, we can help keep spread of illness to a minimum.
Our Health Centre is the hub where our students can come if they are in need of medical attention. It is located via student services in our Administration block. You can contact our Health Centre team directly on 09 425 8039 ext 710 or via email (below).
ONSITE MEDICAL OFFICER
Our onsite registered nurse, Donnah Penniall, is available Monday-Friday during school hours to assess students. If further medical advice or emergency services are needed the appropriate action is then taken. Donnah will contact a parent/caregiver if a student is too unwell to be at school.
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
Our Public Health Nurse, Ella from the Waitemata District Health Board, is available several days each week. Appointments can be made through the Health Centre. This is a free service for our students.
PHYSIOTHERAPY
If a student has injured themselves they can access physiotherapists during the school day. Hand Therapy is available onsite every Tuesday and Thursday, and Physiotherapy every Wednesday. Initial appointments need to be made directly through Kowhai Physio and Hand Therapy in Warkworth. Under ACC there is no cost for this service. INFORMATION & CONSENT FORM
GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS
For emotional well-being and support students can make a confidential appointment at the Health Centre to see one of our school Guidance Counsellors, Kerry Jenner or Tracey Innes.
VACCINATIONS >
Vaccinations: Boostrix at Year 7 and HPV at Year 8 are organised by the Waitemata District Health Board public nurse. At the appropriate time a presentation will be shown and all students will come home with the forms to be completed if you make the choice to have your child vaccinated.
HELPFUL INFORMATION
Vaccinations contain an antigen that is injected to stimulate the immune system to have a response to fight the antigen, and in doing causes the immune system to make memory cells, that get stored away in our bone marrow. When your body comes in contact with the antigen again, your body will recognise the antigen and send memory cells which can quickly act to defend your body so you don’t get sick with the antigen you have come in contact with (i.e whooping cough, tetanus, influenza or whatever else you have been vaccinated against).
Not a single drop of the vaccination is left in your body. Once your own immune system has had time to recognise and start fighting the antigen, the vaccination gets metabolised and excreted in your urine.
You can never have too many vaccinations or overdose on vaccinations, as your bone marrow has plenty of room to store tiny memory cells which lay dormant until they come into contact with the illness they recognise. There is a cost to each vaccination so that is why we only give the vaccination as per the schedule. Having a vaccination more than once will do no harm to your body.
Age 12 is considered the optimal age to receive the HPV vaccine because research has shown this is the time the uptake is best and people make the best memory cells.
Some people are concerned about what vaccines contain especially aluminium and formaldehyde. Vaccines contain as much aluminium as a litre of water (which we would all easily consume daily with nil ill effects). Formaldehyde is naturally occurring in our bodies as a by-product of metabolism. It is also present in mascara, paper towels, carpet and baby shampoo. The amount present in vaccines is of no concern to our health.
Some people can not be immunised because they are too young (newborns) or are immunocompromised. This group of people are very vulnerable to infection as their immune systems are already weak. Their best protection is for the people who surround them to be immunised.
If you have any questions or concerns about immunisation please do not hesitate to speak to our school nurse.