HCS Student Health Services

If you have questions or concerns about your child's health or school nursing services, please contact our school nurse. It is important for parents to report any illness or condition that your child has that may require medical support during the school day. Information about HCS Student Health Services can be accessed by clicking here.

Information on the most commonly asked student health questions is listed below.  

Prescription Drugs and Medications

• If a child MUST take a prescription drug or other medication during the school day, an Horry County Medication permission form must be filled out and returned to the school nurse. 
• A printable copy of that form is available on the HCS website.  (Click here to see Student Health Services Medication forms.)
• The form must include information stating the time the medication is to be taken, the dosage required, and any side effects the drug may cause.
• Any prescription medication to be administered must have the child's name on the bottle and not that of any other member of the family.
• Student medication must be in the original container and will be kept in the health room.
• Any medication taken on a daily basis must have a permission form signed by the parent or legal guardian and must be kept on file.
• All medications must be brought to school by parents/guardians. Medications are not to be sent with students.
• Medications must be picked up by a parent prior to the last day of school.

Fever Policy

• Children with a fever usually do not feel well enough to participate in school activities, so please adhere to these guidelines when considering your child's attendance when he/she is feverish.     
• Children with an elevated oral temperature of 100.5 O F or greater will NOT be allowed to attend school.
• You may choose to use fever-reducing medication appropriate for children such as Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Motrin (Ibuprofen), but please DO NOT send your child to school after having had a dose of fever-reducing medication in the morning; the effects will wear off during the school day and the fever will return.
• Your child may only return to school when he/she is fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of fever-reducing medication.
• If your child is sent home with a fever, you will receive a copy of the Fever Notification Letter (Click to View Letter) with any information the school nurse feels you know regarding your child's symptoms.

Head Lice

If we find evidence indicating the presence of head lice in your child's hair, you will need to treat your child before he/she returns to school. It is necessary to begin treatment immediately and send your child back to school so that he/she does not miss opportunities in the classroom. Your child may not attend school until there is no evidence of live head lice.

Horry County School District enforces a lice policy for the protection of all students. The HCS District prohibits a student who is sent home with live head lice from returning to school or riding the school bus. To return to school, the student must pass a screening by the school nurse or principal designee that verifies the absence of live head lice. Days absent from school for head lice will be considered excused (lawful absences) for a maximum of two (2) days. Any additional days absent for the presence of lice and treatment will be considered unexcused if the reoccurrence is from the original infestation. Please know that a doctor's excuse is not automatic readmission to school. Before readmission to school, you must bring your child to the school nurse to verify the absence of live head lice. The nurse/principal designee will then send a note to the teachers to readmit your child to class.

If your child is sent home with head lice, you will get the Head Lice Treatment handout (Click to View Handout)with helpful information on how to eliminate and prevent the spread of head lice in your home. 

If you have any questions concerning head lice or treatment, please call the school nurse or your health care provider.