Learning Objectives : To define school health services and its importance To define essential health components of school health To describe the effect of poor sitting posture on musculoskeletal system To describe the duties of school medical officer To learn about preventive strategies regarding diseases related to school health

1. School health
services
By
Dr. Sana Murtaza

2. Learning Objectives
To define school health services and its
importance
To define essential health components of school
health
To describe the effect of poor sitting posture on
musculoskeletal system
To describe the duties of school medical officer
To learn about preventive strategies regarding
diseases related to school health

3. DEFINITION
It is the branch of preventive
medicine which deal with
medical inspection of school
children and early detection
of communicable and non
communicable diseases in
the environment of school

4. OBJECTIVES
 Promotion of positive health
 Prevention of diseases
 Early diagnosis, treatment & follow-up of defect
detected during early diagnosis.
 Awakening health consciousness in school children
 Provision of health environment

5. PRINCIPLES OF SCHOOL
HEALTH SERVICES
• It is based on health needs of school children
• It is planned in co-ordination with school health personnel,
parents and community people.
• It emphasize on health education to promote, protect,
improve and maintain health of children and staff.

6. PRINCIPLES OF SCHOOL
HEALTH SERVICES
• It emphasize on promotive and preventive,
aspects.
• It is an ongoing and continuous program.
• It has an effective system of record keeping
and reporting.

7. A New Focus for Building
effective School Health Programs
Previously the Parents were
typically uninformed about
school’s health & safety
arrangements

8. AIM
The ultimate aim of school health services is to
promote, protect and maintain health of school
children and reduce morbidity and mortality in
them.

10. CLASS ROOM
Accommodation for
not more than 40
students
Wall Colour should be
white
Lighting preferably
from left side
Doors & widows – for
cross ventilation

11. TYPE OF DESKS (not correct )
 Plus desk: a vertical line drawn from the edge
of the disk falls outside the edge of the chairs.
Causes Kyphosis

12. TYPE OF DESKS ( correct )
Zero Desk: a vertical
line drawn from the
edge of desk
touches the edge of
the chair
Minus Desk: a vertical
line drawn from the
edge of desk fall on seat

14. DUTIES OF A SCHOOL
MEDICAL OFFICER
 Routing inspection at the ages of 5, 9, 13 & 17 years
 Immunization against communicable diseases
 Advise the parents on the mental and physical condition
 Examination & treatment of ailing child
 Educating the class teachers on various aspect of health

15.  Inspection of water supply, sanitary and other aspect of
class room (lighting, desk, etc.)
 Periodical visits to hostels (if present)
 Advise the school authorities for health environment.
 Record the height and weight Chart of the school child
 Visit the home of the school children if the disease is not
improving ( parents are not responding to medical report)
 Records of the vision

16. COMPLICATIONS
 Long-term complications include heart disease, stroke,
blindness, kidney disease, and lower limb amputations.
 There is no cure but disease can be prevented by early
screening.
 Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in school-
aged children, affecting about 1 in every 400 to 500 young
people less than 20 years of age.

17.  Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases
in school-aged children.
 Signs of diabetes include: excessive thirst, frequent
urination, excessive hunger or fatigue, unexplained
weight loss, slow healing sores, dry, itchy skin,
blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the feet.
 Two types of diabetes affect young people.
 Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes must be managed 24
hours a day, 7 days a week to prevent serious health
consequences.

18. EQUIPMENT FOR SCHOOL CLINIC
 Weighing machine,
 Measuring tape,
 Height measuring rod,
 Snellen’s testing chart,
 Nasal speculum,
 Tongue depressor,
 Ear speculum,
 vaccination set,
 syringes, sterilizer
 scissors & surgical forceps,
 wash basin & towel stand,

19. COMPONENTS OF SCHOOL
HEALTH PROGRAMME
• Health appraisal of school children and school
personnel
• Prevention of communicable disease
• Healthful school environment
• Nutritional service
• First aid and emergency care
• Mental health

20. COMPONENTS OF SCHOOL
HEALTH PROGRAMME
• Dental health
• Eye health
• Health education
• Education of the handicapped children
• Maintenance and use of school health records

21. Health appraisal of school
children and school personnel
 Periodical medical examination of school
children, teacher, health personnel.
 Daily morning inspection by the teachers
unusually flushed face, rashes, spots, signs of
acute cold, coughing and sneezing, sore
throat, rigid neck, nausea, vomiting, watery
eyes, headache, chills, fever, etc.

22. Healthful school environment
An optimal school environment, location, building
and equipment's are important pre-requisites for a
school health.
A good school environment promotes physical,
social and emotional health of the pupils.
School should serve as exemplary place to reflect
sanitation. Healthful school environment

23. First aid and emergency care
The school must have an arrangement for
providing first aid and emergency care to
children who get injured or sick at the school.
The teachers should receive adequate training
during teacher training program or in service
training programs to prepare themselves to
carry out this obligation.

24. Dental health
 School children usually suffer from dental
diseases and defects.
 School health should incorporate dental
health components too.
 Dental hygienist and dentist are to be
employed.
 During the dental checkup should focus on
prophylactic cleansing and dental hygiene
classes.

25. Eye health services
 Teachers are in key position to detect
reflective errors, refer for treatment for
squints, amblyopia and to detect eye
infections.
 Vitamin A administration could be done.

26. Education of handicapped
children
Every child irrespective of the disability, should
be encouraged to become productive and self
supporting.

27. School health records
The schools have cumulative health records
providing pertinent information and serves as
tool to evaluate the school health services.

28. Thank you