School environments are known to play a significant part in the community spread of diseases, namely infectious ones. This is explained by high mixing rates of children at school. Multiple contacts that children have with one another on school premises boost their chances of being infected. Infected children bring these infections to their households, from where diseases will spread further (Gemmetto, Barrat, & Cattuto, 2014). This paper briefly discusses common diseases spread at school, explains how they get spread, lists the ways to prevent disease spreads, and provides examples of fun health promotion activities for children.
Contagious diseases and infections spread through school environments. Statistically, infective and parasitic diseases accounted for 21, 155 thousands of all acute conditions, influenza – for 27,653, respiratory conditions – for 55,783, common cold – for 16, 562, intestinal virus – for 5, 122, unspecified viral infections for 5, 826, and pneumonia – for 584 out of the overall number of 112, 340 acute conditions predictably contracted at school for the period of one year by U.S. school students. Among the diseases spread through schools the following were mentioned: gonorrhea, chickenpox, measles, infectious parotitis, herpes, salmonellosis and shigellosis, syphilis, and aseptic meningitis (Ayim, 2011).
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These diseases are spread through proximity interactions among students. For example, both viral and bacterial diseases can be spread by a respiratory route. When someone with a virus or bacteria sneezes or coughs, he or she spreads germs through tiny droplets into the air. At the same time, viral and bacterial diseases can be spread through gastrointestinal tract, when children consume food or water that has been in contact with contaminated surfaces, for instance, cafeteria tables (Ayim, 2011). Also, there are other, less common routes of infections spread.
Among the ways that prevent the spread of diseases through schools one can find several approaches. For epidemics that can potentially grow into pandemics, such as influenza, the best way is school closure (Kaaland, 2014). Prior to closure, however, children need to be observed for doing basic health practices such as hand washing. A series of steps need to be taken to prevent the spread of diseases and action plans need to be developed. These steps may include disinfection and preventive measures, education, quarantine or other isolation techniques, promoting personal cleanliness, and ensuring students have balanced diets (Ayim, 2011).
Fun health promotion activities are another way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases on school premises, because they can motivate children to learn about basic health practices and will be liked by children. Specifically, at schools they can use individual arts and crafts nutrition themed projects such as My Plate (promotes the consumption of vitamins), Food Safety Activities, and Healthy Calendars, which remind children of healthy activities they can do during a day to enhance general wellness (Nourishinteractive.com, 2017). Also, school administration can organize health-promotion events that will engage whole families. One example is Fall Family Fun Run, organized by Grafenwoehr Elementary School, when families spend a morning at the weekends, to run or walk a 400m, one mile, or five kilometer run (Scheuermann, 2014). This event promoted physical activity in elementary school students and encouraged their families to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Overall, school environments spread a variety of infectious and bacterial diseases due to high rates of children’s mixing. Diseases mainly spread through respiratory and gastro-intestinal ways. Preventive measures include health education, ensuring children observe basic health practices, using isolation techniques, promoting cleanliness, and closing schools, etc. Fun activities are another way to promote health among school children. These can include arts and crafts projects, family events, and other activities.
