Health Screenings 

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Vision screenings are done in accordance with guidelines established by  the Ohio Department of Health. Students with glasses or contacts are checked wearing their corrective lenses.

 Children that are screened:

• All children in kindergarten, first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth grades according to the
• tests and methods in this document.
• All new and transfer students regardless of grade.
• All hearing-impaired children, annually.
• All children referred by a teacher.
• Preschool-age children enrolled in school-based programs upon entrance to the program
• and every year before entering school. (ODH provides separate screening

      guidelines for use with preschool children.)

• Children who request a vision screening.
• Children of parents who request a vision screening.

 

Required vision screening tests by grade level:

• Kindergarten or initial screening

1. Monocular Distance Visual Acuity, using a light box and an ODH-approved chart.
2. Stereopsis screening using the Random Dot E test.
3. Color Deficit test using an ODH-approved color vision test, males only.

• First grade

1.   Monocular Distance Visual Acuity, using a light box and an approved chart.

2.   Muscle Balance test administered at near using the Alternate Cover Test.

3.   Stereopsis screening using the Random Dot E Test.

4. Color Deficit test using an approved color vision test, males only, if not done in kindergarten.

• Third, fifth, seventh and ninth grades

1.   Monocular Distance Visual Acuity, using a light box and an ODH-approved chart.

Hearing screenings are done in accordance with guidelines established by the Ohio Department of Health and are usually conducted in the fall of the school year.

Children that are screened:

• Preschool children:

1. Preschoolers attending a school-based program shall be screened each year they are enrolled in preschool. Children who cannot be screened using approved and/or optional methods shall be referred to the primary care provider or audiologist.

• School-aged children in traditional classes:

1.   School-aged children shall be screened at five grade levels: kindergarten, first, third, fifth and ninth grades. Students may be tested in additional            grade levels.

2. In addition, the following school children shall be screened:

• Students new to a school (and not tested within the past 12 months).
• Students referred by a teacher or other school personnel.
• Students who were referred within the past year with no documented follow-up, regardless of grade.
• Students absent during the previous hearing screening.
• Students at risk for noise exposure (e.g., band, vocational education, industrial education, automotive mechanics).
• Students who request a hearing screening.
• Students whose parents request a hearing screening.

             3.  School-aged children in special education classes:

• Students in special education classes will be screened at the ages that correspond to the grade levels required for all students (preschool, kindergarten, first, third, fifth and ninth grade). These children remain in the screening program due to a higher risk of undetected hearing loss and may be candidates for optional OAE testing and tympanometry screening. If the student cannot be screened, they will be referred for a complete medical/ audiological evaluation.
• School-aged children not included in the school hearing screening program include the following:

 1.   Students who wear hearing aids.

 2.  Students who have a cochlear implant.

 3.  Students with known hearing loss including sensorineural and progressive hearing  loss.

 

Required Screening Procedures:

• Observation
• Pure-tone Air Conduction Audiometry done at 1000 Hz., 2000 Hz. and 4000 Hz. at 20 dB HL in both ears.
• Tympanometry screening of preschoolers and kindergarten students.
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Postural Screenings: Students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades will undergo postural screening to detect scoliosis and other postural deformities. The purpose of the program is to detect postural problems at the earliest stages so that the need for treatment can be determined.  The screening is a simple one in which the nurse inspects the child's posture in a forward bending position.  If a postural problem is suspected, children will be referred to their private physicians.  If parents do not wish to have their children screened, they should notify the nurse in writing prior to the scheduled date of screening.  All screenings are done privately.

With all screenings, children who fail the initial screening are rescreened a few weeks later before a referral is made.  In cases where referral is needed, a form letter will be sent home, which will also include a form with the student's test results for the physician or other follow-up provider to fill out. These forms should be completed and then returned to the school nurse once the child has been seen by a follow-up care provider.

Height, Weight and Body Mass Index Screenings:  Every effort will be made to screen heights and weights on students at least every other year and from these measurements, BMI percentiles for age and gender will be determined.   Parents will be notified of results in a confidential letter mailed home.  Screenings will be done in privacy during regularly scheduled physical education classes.