Health and Wellness

We have a Wellness Centre in the school administration area. Minor injuries are treated at school by First Aid trained staff. In a case of a more serious injury, we contact you if we think medical attention is required. If we are unable to contact you, we will take your child to an accident and emergency unit or call an ambulance. We will also contact you if your child becomes ill.

Medication at School

Parents are required to bring any medicines to the office and sign a form to enable a staff member to administer medication to a child.

The Ministry of Health conducts Hearing and vision checks regularly at the school for new entrants. Any issues regarding student hearing and visions will be directed to the child’s parents/caregivers. Signed permission is required to have your child’s hearing and vision checked – please ensure that you have given your permission by filling out the correct form or telephone the school office to check.

Chickenpox is a common childhood illness caused by a virus. Children with chickenpox need to stay home from school and daycare.

 Children can now have free chickenpox immunisation. Please click on the link below for more information.

The Ponsonby Intermediate Children's Community Dental Clinic, 33 Sheehan Street Ponsonby Tel: 376 6327  

Their diagnostic van comes to schools throughout the year. For further information please contact the clinic directly.

The Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDs) is a Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora-operated service, which provides FREE dental care to children across the greater Auckland areas.

In order to prevent any eligible children missing out on receiving free dental care, ARDs is cross-checking their own records with school rolls. For our children’s better oral health and wellbeing, our school roll will be shared with the service as required.

To find out more information about ARDs, please visit ards.co.nz or call 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583).

This is a perennial problem in schools. If we notice a problem in a class we will send home a notification form to the class. For more information on prevention and treatment please see the attached information sheet and links below to the Ministry of Health and Kids Health on the subject.

Whooping cough is most serious for young children, especially those under 12 months.

Whooping cough is a highly infectious bacterial disease that spreads easily by coughing and sneezing. It commonly causes bouts of severe coughing that can disturb sleep and can last for up to 3 months. It is especially severe in young infants under 12 months old, who often require hospital admission and who occasionally die. Anyone can get whooping cough because protection (immunity) after immunisation or natural infection decreases over 4-6 years.

Key messages for parents from Auckland Regional Public Health (ARPHS)

• Ensure your children are up to date with their immunisations to best protect them

• If you have a young child at home (under 12 months) or are pregnant consider being immunised. This should be discussed with your GP or Practice Nurse

• Teach children to cover coughs, and to wash and dry their hands well

• Keep coughs away from young babies

For more information about whooping cough see the ARPHS website www.arphs.govt.nz, phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 or visit your family doctor. For immunisation information, phone the Immunisation Advisory Centre on 0800 IMMUNE (0800 466 863) or visit their website www.immune.org.nz

Measles spreads easily and quickly, usually between people who are unimmunised or only partially immunised.

With people travelling overseas again, there’s a risk that someone with measles could unknowingly bring the disease back to Aotearoa.

It can be serious and life threatening. In the 2019 measles outbreak in Aotearoa more than 30% of the people infected had to be admitted to hospital.

The best protection against measles is the free MMR vaccine. It will protect you and your whānau, and prevent the virus from spreading.

You will be protected against measles if you:

• Had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine

• Had measles before

• Were born before 1 Jan 1969.

If you’re unsure if you or your tamariki have had any or both doses of the MMR vaccine, check by calling your GP or hauora provider. Alternatively, check your Plunket Well Child Tamariki Ora book. If you’re still not sure, be safe and get immunised – there are no safety concerns with having an extra dose. MMR vaccines are free at your local health provider and many pharmacies.

As measles still occurs in many countries, if you’re travelling overseas these holidays it’s especially important to be immunised to prevent the risk of being unknowingly infected and causing an outbreak in Aotearoa on your return.

For more information about the measles vaccine, click the link below.