Health Screenings
In this Chapter
Vision Screening
Hearing Screening
Scoliosis Screening
Growth and Development
Vision Screening Procedure/Checklist - Far Snellen Chart
Vision Screening Procedure/Checklist - Near Logarithmic
Vision Screening Documentation
Screening Services
Screening for vision, hearing, scoliosis, height, and weight are mandated by Florida Administrative Code 64F-6.003 for specific groups of students according to grade level. By electronically signing the Health Emergency Information Form during the registration process, parents/guardians give permission for these non-invasive screenings. Any screening done outside of the standard screening schedule for specific grades must have a separate parental /guardian permission form.
See Screening Permission in the Forms Section.
Screenings do not diagnose but are designed to identify students who have results outside the normal limits. Students that have results outside the normal limits are referred to be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Early identification and treatment of physical problems are paramount to academic achievement.
VISION SCREENING
Population:
Vision screening is mandated for students in grades K, 1, 3 and 6. Also included are students entering Florida schools for the first time in grades K through 5. Students in any grade may be referred for a vision screening by a teacher (parental permission is needed) or a parent if a problem is suspected (see Screening Permission in the Forms Section).
Vision screening is performed by using the Spot® Vision Screener. The Spot® Vision Screener is a handheld, portable device designed to help quickly and easily detect vision issues in children as young as 6 months up to adulthood.
The Spot® Vision Screener is a fast, portable, easy to use vision screening system designed to quickly detect several ophthalmological issues in children. The non-invasive screening detects the potential indication of the following in seconds, while maintaining a non-threatening 3 foot distance from the child.
Hyperopia: farsightedness
Myopia: nearsightedness
Anisometropia: difference in eye strength
Anisocoria: pupil size deviations
Astigmatism: blurred vision, eye structure
Strabismus: eye turns
In addition to the Spot® Vision Screener, Kindergarten students will have their color vision tested.
Process:
Mass vision screening is conducted and recorded by trained members of the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County School Health office.
The School Health office sends an email to each school administrator with a copy to the health room aide, school nurse or contact person containing pertinent information about the screening.
School staff prepare the screening schedule (two-day maximum). The schedule must be able to accommodate all students within one or two days, depending on the size of the school population.
The testing area must be quiet and fitted with a multi-service electric outlet, which will accommodate the vision machine and laptops/IPads. A private place nearby for the scale/s and stadiometer/s for doing height and weight measurements will be required.
The testing area must have connectivity (wireless or plug in) for two computers to logon to SIS.
Teachers should be informed about the screenings well in advance; their cooperation is essential. Students who wear glasses or contacts need to be reminded to wear them for the screening.
Designated school staff, parent volunteer or a classroom aide will be needed to walk students to and from the screening area, line them up alphabetically, and maintain order.
The vision screening results are documented on the SIS Vision Group Health Screening panel.
Students who normally wear corrective lenses but do not have them with them, will be asked to bring them the next day. However, if the corrective lenses are broken or lost, the screening will be done without them.
Vision screeners use the Spot® Vision Screener.
The School Health Office will send out a referral letter requesting an exam by an eye care specialist.
Any family who cannot afford care shall be referred to the appropriate community agency for assistance and/or offered a vision voucher.
NOTE: For ESE referrals, please refer to Vision and Hearing Requirements for Intervention Assessment Services. This document details when an earlier screening result is valid. However, if a student displays any symptoms of visual disturbances as described in the above document, an additional screening should be done. The school nurse will record the screening on the SIS Vision Screening Tab. ESE vision screening completions are called into the School Health Office.
HEARING SCREENING
Population:
Hearing screening is mandated for students in grades K, 1 & 6. This includes students entering Florida schools for the first time in grades K through 5. Students in any grade may be referred for a hearing screening by a teacher (parental permission is needed) or a parent if a problem is suspected (see Permission for Screening Letter ).
Process:
Mass hearing screening is conducted and recorded by health room aides, school nurses, and approved volunteers..
All students who fail the initial screening are re-screened at a later date.
The parents of students who have been referred and require further medical or audiological evaluation are notified by mail. Included with the notification is a form letter to be completed by the physician and returned to the school.
Mass hearing screening results are entered on the SIS Hearing Group Screening panel.
The referral to parents, the results of the medical examination and the physician’s recommendations for care will be documented on the SIS Hearing Screening Tab.
If parents have not completed medical or audiological follow-up after several notifications, the student may be referred to the school nurse for intervention.
Comprehensive hearing screening information is available in the current publication of the Countywide Hearing Screening Procedures Manual.
Hearing screening completions are called into the School Health Office.
NOTE: For ESE referrals, please refer to Vision and Hearing Requirements for Intervention Assessment Services. This document details when an earlier screening result is valid. However, if a student displays any symptoms of hearing loss as described in the above document, an additional screening should be done. ESE hearing screening completions are called into the School Health Office.
SCOLIOSIS SCREENING
Population:
Scoliosis is a sideways (lateral) curving of the spine usually developing in preadolescence and adolescents during rapid growth spurts.
Scoliosis screening is mandated in Florida for students in grade six.
Students in any grade may be referred for scoliosis screening by a teacher or parent if a problem is suspected. Parental permission is required (see Permission for Screening Letter).
Process:
A school nurse conducts scoliosis screenings.
A screening tool, the scoliometer, may be used by the nurse to determine the degree of curvature in those students who are identified as having a deviation.
Mass scoliosis screening results are entered on the SIS Scoliosis Group Screening Panel.
A notification of scoliosis screening deviation will be sent to the parent.
The school nurse conducts follow-up on referrals.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Population:
Growth and development screening (height and weight) is mandated for students in grades 1, 3 and 6.
Students in any grade may be referred for height and weight screening (with parental permission) if there is a concern (see Permission for Screening Letter)
Process:
Height and weight measurements are normally conducted at the same time as the vision screening by the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County staff.
Results will be documented in the SIS system and parents may request results from the school nurse or School Health Office.
The school nurse conducts follow-up as needed.
A guide to better health (5210)