Coming to the Student Health Office
Students are required to wear a mask in the Student Health Office if they have any cold or flu-like symptoms. Please ensure that students have a mask in their bag or locker at all times in the event that they need to visit the Student Health Office.

Care in the Student Health Office
Illnesses and injuries in the Student Health Office will be treated accordingly. 

If a student needs to go home during school hours, a parent/guardian will be contacted. Procedures for early dismissal are as follows:

• Students in kindergarten and junior school: Must be picked up by their parent/guardian or a designated adult.
• Students in middle school: May be picked up or go home alone as long as a parent is at home to receive the student. During school hours, parents will be contacted before the student is dismissed.
• Students in high school: May be picked up or go home alone. During school hours, parents will be contacted before the student is dismissed.

If you are picking up your child, please visit the lodge when you arrive and before you leave.

If a student needs to go to the hospital from school, the school will attempt to contact a parent/guardian to accompany the student. If the parent/guardian cannot be contacted or otherwise accompany the student, a staff member will accompany the student to the hospital.  

How can I contact the Student Health Officer?
The Student Health Officer’s email is nurse@issh.ac.jp. Emails are answered between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday. 

For urgent inquiries, please call the school 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday who will connect you to the Student Health Officer.

When should I contact the Student Health Officer?
Please inform the Student Health Officer if your child is sick with an illness, has head lice, or any other medical-related concerns. 

Furthermore, please contact the Student Health Officer if your child has a medical condition such as asthma or severe allergy so the proper emergency action plans can be put in place.

When will the Student Health Officer contact me?
The Student Health Officer will contact parents/guardians by both email and phone when necessary. 

Furthermore, as part of routine care, the Student Health Officer regularly contacts parents/guardians if: 

• If the student has a head bump
• If the student has an injury  
• If there have been multiple cases of a contagious illness in the student’s grade. The email will follow this general format: "There have been some cases of  ___ in ___. Please refer to the ISSH Student Health Officer information page for more information.”

The Student Health Office collects forms from parents/guardians and physicians, and maintains student health records to ensure the health of the school community.

The Medical Form (By Physician) needs to be submitted by all new students and returning students in Grades 1, 4, 7, and 10. The form is located on the Parent Portal. After a physician fills it out, scan or take a photo of it and email it to the Student Health Officer. If submitting in person, make a copy of the completed form and submit the copy to the homeroom teacher or Student Health Office.

Tuberculosis information: Please note that this is a government requirement. The section on tuberculosis must be completed. This does NOT mean that students must get a TB test or chest x-ray. The physician will determine if a test or x-ray is necessary. 

The Medical Form (By Parents) is due by the beginning of the school year for all returning and new students. If a student starts after the beginning of the school year, this form needs to be submitted before starting school. The link for the Google Form is on the Parent Portal. If you would like to provide an update or make any changes, please use the Parent Portal or send an email to the Student Health Officer. 

If your child has allergies or asthma, you need to submit a specific form for your child’s condition. Please find the emergency action plans for allergies and asthma on the Parent Portal. 

Parents/guardians can request to receive student health records when students leave ISSH.

The Student Health Officer requests information about vaccinations to promote the health of the school population. 

The Student Health Officer recommends receiving all recommended vaccinations by the Japan Pediatric Society as well as annual influenza vaccinations and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Special Focus: HPV Vaccine
The HPV vaccine protects against the Human Papillomavirus which causes 90% of cervical cancer cases worldwide as well many other types of cancers.

Students born between April 2 2007 and April 1 2012 are eligible for free HPV vaccination according to the normal vaccination schedule. In addition, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare is currently offering free "catch up vaccines" to people born on or after 2 April 1997. 

If your family has not received a coupon/voucher, please contact your local ward office and request one. All of the vaccines are free, and can be used at any clinic (even outside of your ward). 

See here for reference and more information.

All students in junior school, middle school, and high school will be screened for weight, height, and vision in September or October. Parents may request screenings for kindergarten students by emailing the Student Health Officer at nurse@issh.ac.jp. 

Please note that the vision tests only screens for an inability to see objects far away (near-sightedness). Emails will be sent to parents for any student that scores 0.9 or lower on the vision test. 

Regular School Day
All student medication for use during the school day (non-prescription and prescription) should be kept and administered in the Student Health Office. Please submit the medication with a medication administration form to the Student Health Office. Please note that this includes daily medications and medications taken irregularly such as antibiotics. Emergency medication such as inhalers and EPIPENs may be kept in the Student Health Office or with the student with parental permission. The form is found on the Parent Portal. 

Even if your child does not need to use medication at school, it is highly recommended to provide a 3-day supply of medication in the event of a major natural disaster. Please note that this is limited to essential medication in which missing 3 days or more would constitute a risk to health.

On Excursion
During excursions, faculty or staff members generally administer all medications (non-prescription and prescription) to students. If your child needs medication not already kept in the Student Health Office (e.g. motion sickness medication, medication taken overnight), please submit a medication administration form with the medication at least 3 days before the excursion. Please note that medications in the Student Health Office will be automatically sent on excursions and do not require an additional form.

High school students may self-administer over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications with parental permission. Students need to submit a self-administration of medication form at least 3 days before the excursion. The form is found on the Parent Portal. If the medication is kept in the Student Health Office, students are responsible for picking up any non-prescription medication before the excursion. 

Students, parents/guardians, faculty, and staff can all help to prevent the spread of contagious illnesses.

Please pay special attention to these daily preventative actions, especially if there has been a case of a contagious illness in the grade.

Monitor Symptoms

• Monitor symptoms regularly
• If a student has any symptoms, please visit a physician for a diagnosis. If the student is diagnosed with an illness, inform the Student Health Officer.

Hand Hygiene

• Routinely wash hands, especially before eating, after using the washroom, and after coming home.
• Avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• If water is unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Cough and Masking Etiquette

• Maintain proper coughing etiquette. Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing with a tissue, sleeve, or elbow. Then, be sure to wash your hands.
• Consider wearing a mask based on the risk of infection.

Sharing Items

• Avoid sharing items such as drinks, water bottles, utensils, etc.

Disinfection

• Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects at home, especially when someone is sick.

Seasonal Influenza and COVID-19 Policy 

• Please inform the school if your child tests positive for influenza or COVID-19. 
• Students must stay home for 5 full days from the start of symptoms (or test date if asymptomatic) which is counted as Day 0. 
• In addition, students with influenza:
  • Students in kindergarten: Fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 72 hours before returning to school. 
  • Students in junior school, middle school, and high school: Fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 48 hours before returning to school.
• Students with COVID-19:
  • All students should be fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Students with influenza or COVID-19 should monitor their symptoms from the start of symptoms and consider masking and coughing/sneezing etiquette for 10 days from the start of symptoms.
• If a student’s family member has tested positive for influenza or COVID-19, they do not need to isolate and can come to school. Students should monitor their symptoms for 10 days from the start of the patient’s symptoms (or test date if asymptomatic). 

Strep Throat Policy
Students with strep throat can come to school 24 hours after they start taking antibiotics and have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

Conjunctivitis Policy
Students with conjunctivitis must have a physician’s note stating when they can return to school. Typically, students with bacterial conjunctivitis need to take antibiotic eye drops for 24 hours before returning to school.

Vomiting and Diarrhea Policy
Students should not have a vomiting or diarrhea episode for 24 hours before coming to school, unless caused by a non-contagious illness. 

Common Cold Policy
Students with cold symptoms such as cough, runny nose, and sore throat can come to school as long as they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, do not have deep or uncontrollable coughing, or a severe sore throat.
 

All kindergarten and junior school students who have been absent due to fever need to see the Student Health Officer before returning to class.

Students may be required to submit a physician’s note if they have been absent due to illness for 3 or more days. This should detail that they have been seen by a physician and when they can return to school. Please submit the note to the homeroom teacher.

Head lice are a nuisance, but are not a health threat and carry no disease. Catching lice is not a reflection of hygiene in which lice often like clean hair. Head lice cannot jump or fly and can only crawl, meaning transmission often occurs due to direct head-to-head contact. As such, lice are often transferred among girls as they tend to like to put their heads together when they play. 

Signs and symptoms of head lice include:

• Presence of lice which are 2-4mm long, commonly behind the ears and near the neckline. They move fairly quickly so they may be hard to find.
• Brown/white teardrop-shaped nits (eggs). Nits cannot be easily removed or brushed unlike dandruff.
• Itching or tickling on the scalp
• Sores on the head
• Irritability and difficulty sleeping

In following best-practice recommendations, the current policy is as follows:

Notification of head lice 

• At school: If a student is identified to have lice at school, students will generally be able to remain at school though may be sent home based on the discretion of the Student Health Officer. Long hair will be put up in a ponytail. Parents/guardians should follow the steps under “Treating Head Lice”.
• At home: If you notice your child has head lice at home, please notify the Student Health Officer and follow the steps under “Treating Head Lice”. 

There are no routine classroom checks

• Teachers may request a private head check for individual student(s). This will be done by the Student Health Officer in the privacy of the Student Health Office. 
• Classroom screenings may be carried out when there are outbreaks of lice in a classroom.

It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to check their child’s head on a regular basis for head lice

• Letters to all parents will not be regularly sent when a case of head lice is identified. 
• Occasional emails may be sent as reminders if a significant amount of time has passed since the last case(s) or if there is an outbreak of head lice.

Tips for checking for head lice

• Checking for Lice: After washing, cover your child's hair in copious amounts of conditioner and use a fine tooth comb to check for the presence of lice. Using conditioner makes it hard for lice to move and easier to catch lice.
• Checking for Nits: In sunlight or fluorescent light, separate the hair into small sections and use a fine tooth comb to check to see if there are any nits.

Treating head lice
If your child has head lice, please follow the steps below. It is essential that parents/guardians follow these steps as while head lice is not a health concern, it can be distracting for students.

1. Ensure that the Student Health Officer is aware.
2. Check family members for head lice if not already done so.
3. Treat your child(ren) with 1 dose of head lice treatment at home. Most parents use this: https://www.kincho.co.jp/en/products/sumithrin_premium/.
4. Comb out any lice and nits (eggs) after doing the head lice treatment.
5. Perform any home treatments (see below).
6. Students should come to the Student Health Office in the morning before school to be checked by the Student Health Officer. If your child(ren) has live lice or an excessive amount of nits, the student may be asked to return home for removal of live lice and nits.
7. Complete the full treatment as directed on the head lice treatment package. This usually involves a dose every 3 days for 4 times. The full treatment should last about 10 days.
8. Check and comb out lice and nits (eggs) every day while your child(ren) completes the treatment. 
9. Students should come to the Student Health Office to be re-checked by the Student Health Officer every day from the beginning of treatment until there are no nits. If your child(ren) has live lice or an excessive amount of nits, the student may be asked to return home for removal of live lice and nits.
10. Continue checking hair for nits every day for a month. If at any point you find live lice, redo the treatment. If you complete the full treatment 2 times and your child still has lice, please see a physician. 

How to comb out lice and nits (eggs)
Combing out nits is essential to ensure new lice do not hatch.

• Use sunlight or fluorescent lights to see nits.
• Use a fine tooth comb to remove nits.
• Divide hair into 4 sections and take small sections one at a time and comb out nits. If combs do not work, use your fingernails to pull out the nits.
• Rinse comb every time you pull out nits.

In addition to the head lice treatment, you can check for and remove live or dead lice using “wet combing”. After washing the hair, apply a large amount of conditioner and use a fine tooth comb to remove lice. Rinse the comb everytime you remove lice. 

Home treatment

• Soak bed linens and recently used clothes, hats, and towels in 60°C water for 5 minutes before washing.
• Boil hair brushes and combs.
• If you cannot wash or dry an item on high heat, place in a sealed garbage bag for two days.

Treating family members

• If your child has head lice, please check their siblings and other members of the household for lice.
• If head lice is identified, doing the full treatment, combing out lice and nits, and doing home treatment is essential to prevent reinfestation. 

See here for reference and more information.

The Student Health Officer monitors weather warnings and advisories, air quality index (PM 2.5), UV index, and the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature to reduce the risk of weather-related illnesses. Parents are reminded to send students with water bottles, sunscreen, and hats.

For more information see Community - Policies and Services - Heat Safety

If your child will be fasting for religious purposes, please contact the Student Health Officer with the name and homeroom of the student, how long the fasting period will be (start date to finish date), and details of the fast (e.g. what foods are allowed or not allowed, beverages, and hours of fasting). 

If a student feels unwell due to fasting, students can rest in the Student Health Office for 1 period. Parents/guardians of junior school students will be contacted. If any student continues to feel unwell after 1 period of rest, parents/guardians will be contacted to determine the next steps.

Most forms for the Student Health Office are found on the Parent Portal. 

You can also check and update health information through the Parent Portal on Veracross by clicking on the “Update Family and Medical Profile” button on the main page in the Parent Portal.

Please submit your child’s blood type and any other relevant health information through the Parent Portal. Please do not submit insurance information as this information will be rejected. If a student needs to be transported to the hospital for care, parents/guardians will be contacted. Please DO provide up-to-date phone numbers for this purpose.

General Health Information

• KidsHealth - Information about health, behavior and development from before birth through teen years (in English)
• WHO - World Health Organization (in English)
• IDSC - Infectious Disease Surveillance Control (both in Japanese and English)
• MOFA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan both in Japanese and English)

COVID-19 Information

• Information from Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare on COVID-19
• For patients and close contacts from Tokyo Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health (Japanese)
• Approved COVID-19 In-Vitro Diagnostic Tests
• Approved COVID-19 OTC Tests

Medicine (Drug) Information

• Kusuri-no-Shiori (both in Japanese and English)

Immunization/Vaccine

• Infectious Disease Surveillance Center (Japan) - both in Japanese and English
• National Institute of Infections Diseases (Japan) - in Japanese
• Japan Pediatric Society (Japan) - both in Japanese and English
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) - in English
• NHS Vaccination Schedule (U.K.) - in English
• National Immunisation Program (Australia) - in English

Useful at Japanese Clinics/Hospitals

• Multilingual Medical Questionnaire- fill out and bring it to the clinic (15 languages)
• Japan Healthcare Info - locates English-speaking doctors and makes appointments