Hydration
As the weather is started to heat up is important to remind your student to stay hydrated! Water is essential for our bodies to function. Without enough water we can get tired, our mental function decreases making it harder to learn and it also affects our mood.
To help your child and the environment please make sure your child brings a refillable water bottle to school, and drinks at least two bottles of water across the day. There are bottle refill stations on each campus.
Spring Allergy and Asthma Information
Allergy season has started early this year, so watch out for symptoms of allergic rhinitis (commonly called ‘hay fever’) or asthma. Asthma Australia has a great resource, the Asthma Australia Spring Asthma Checklist, which is really helpful, and we have also provided information and tips for you below. At this time of the year, it is a good idea to:
- Make sure your supplies of antihistamine medications or asthma preventer and reliever medications (inhalers or dry powder medications, also called ‘puffers’) haven’t expired or run out. Visit your pharmacy to buy more supplies if so.
- If you usually have seasonal allergy symptoms, plan to take allergy medications in the morning to prevent these occurring.
- Start taking your asthma preventer medication/inhaler each day if you usually have seasonal asthma symptoms.
- Clean your asthma inhaler device (instructions here), and your spacers (instructions here, clean weekly and consider replacing yearly if used constantly) – don’t forget to check in all your bags (school, sports, swimming, personal) for any extra devices and spacers to clean!
- Monitor pollen counts and weather forecasts via the Melbourne Pollen website or app so that you can make a plan for days with high pollen counts or with a high risk of a thunderstorm asthma event.
- Check in with your doctor or with the free Asthma Australia Educator Service for an update, Asthma Educators can answer your asthma questions. You can Book a FREE phone callat a time that works for you or call direct on 1800ASTHMA (1800 278 462). If you have a current Asthma Action Plan, book an appointment with your doctor for during the September Term 3 school holidays to have a new Asthma Action Plan for 2026 (required yearly) completed to supply that to us in Term 4.
- If you have worsening symptoms of seasonal allergy or asthma, always make an appointment with your doctor for a check-up.
Ms Caz Coady, Ms Jody Clooney and Ms Kate Sanders
College Nurses