Monterey High School

😷 Health Links

• Athletic/Concussion information
• School Nutrition's Food Modification Form for special diets/food allergies
• Health links from Coordinated School Health
• Required Immunizations
• Student Accident Insurance

⚕️Medicine Policy

If a child is required to receive non-prescription or prescription medication during school hours and the parent cannot be at school to administer the medication, THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING (IN PERSON) THE MEDICATION TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE. Only the principal or the principal's designee will assist in self-administration of the medication.
ALL MEDICINE MUST BE IN ITS ORIGINAL CONTAINER.
If you have any questions, please call your child's principal, school nurse or the program coordinator of coordinated school health.

💊 Medicine Forms

Putnam County School personnel understand that your child’s health and well-being are of the utmost importance to you, as well as the school system. Therefore, we would like to emphasize the significance of your presence in our office as soon as possible if your child requires advanced medical assistance from (diabetic care, care for seizures, acute allergies, tube feeding, cystic fibrosis, etc.) our school nurses and/or other school personnel. Please fill out the Parent Consent for Medical Treatment Form.

For medication use on campus, download both forms, fill them out, and submit them to your child's school. The Putnam County Board of Education Medicines policy.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Symptoms and Warning Signs

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)?

SCA is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.

This causes blood and oxygen to stop flowing to the rest of the body. 

The individual will not have a pulse. 

It can happen without warning and can lead to death within minutes if the person does not receive immediate help. 

Only 1 in 10 survives SCA. 

If Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is given and an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) is administered early,  5 in 10 could survive.

SCA is NOT a heart attack, which is caused by reduced or blocked blood flow to the heart. However, a heart attack can increase the risk for SCA.

Watch for Warning Signs:

SCA usually happens without warning. SCA can happen in young people who don’t know they have a heart problem, and it may be the first sign of a heart problem. 

When there are warning signs, the person may experience: Fainting, Dizziness, Extreme Fatigue, Chest Pain, Abnormal Racing Heart, Seizures, or Difficulty Breathing.

If any of these warning signs are present, it's important to talk with a health care provider. There are risks associated with continuing to practice or play after experiencing these symptoms. When the heart stops due to SCA, blood stops flowing to the brain and other body organs. Death or permanent brain damage can occur in minutes.

While rare, SCA is the #1 medical cause of death in young athletes.

Electrocardiogram (EKG) Testing

EKG is a noninvasive, quick, and painless test that looks at the heart’s electrical activity. Small electrodes attached to the skin of the arms, legs, and chest capture the heartbeat as it moves through the heart. An EKG can detect some heart problems that may lead to an increased risk of SCA. 

Routine EKG testing is not currently recommended by national medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Cardiology, unless the pre-participation physical exam reveals an indication for this test. 

The student or parent may request, from the student's health care provider, an EKG be administered in addition to the student's pre-participation physical exam, at a cost to be incurred by the student or the student's parent.

Limitations of EKG Testing

• An EKG may be expensive and cannot detect all conditions that predispose an individual to SCA.

• False positives (abnormalities identified during EKG testing that turn out to have no medical significance) may lead to unnecessary stress, additional testing, and unnecessary restriction from athletic participation.

• Accurate EKG interpretation requires adequate training.