Nurse Elizabeth
Hello! My name is Elizabeth and I'm in my 9th year as the School Nurse at Carol Rae Ranch. I love our school community and enjoy working with our students every day. There are some fun activities on this main page for students as well as some good information on healthy habits. Please see the links in the top right corner for additional health information.
Parents and students are welcome to contact me at elizabeth.compiseno@gilbertschools.net with any questions or concerns. I can also be reached via phone at 480-507-1359 x 1307. Lets all work together to stay safe and healthy!
Elizabeth Compiseno, BSN, RN
Important things we can do to stay healthy and protect ourselves and others from Covid and other illnesses include:
Maintain at least 6 feet distance from others when possible, especially if you are not wearing a mask.
Wash your hands often.
Try not to touch your face.
Wear a cloth mask that covers both your nose and your mouth. Remember that wearing a mask is important to help keep other people healthy. Here is a great video on how to properly wear and handle your mask.
Another thing you can do to help stay healthy is get your flu shot every year. You may wonder why you have to get a flu shot each year instead of just one time. See below for a great explanation from Maria Rivard, BSN, RN.
WHY WE DON’T BUILD IMMUNITY TO INFLUENZA VIRUSES ● Flu viruses continually change over time. ● This constant changing enables the virus to evade the immune system, so that people are susceptible to the flu throughout life. ● This process works as follows: a person infected with a flu virus develops antibodies against that virus; as the virus changes, the "older" antibodies no longer recognizes the "newer" virus, and the person gets sick. The older antibodies can, however, provide partial protection against newer viruses.
HOW INFLUENZA VIRUSES CHANGE Influenza A and B viruses continually undergo a type of change called antigenic drift. This process accounts for most of the changes that occur in the viruses from one influenza season to another. Another change -- called antigenic shift -- occurs only occasionally. When it does occur, large numbers of people, and sometimes the entire population, have no antibody protection against the virus. This may result in a worldwide epidemic, called a pandemic.
How do you stay healthy? Send me a picture of you doing something healthy and I'll post it!
Our family loves to stay active by hiking in the beautiful outdoors.
Lani has been been out enjoying nature and being active.
Way to go practicing your karate Lani!
Staying Active at Home
Calisthenics
Click this link for demonstrations of exercises you can do at home. Simple and no equipment needed, these will help you keep your heart in shape and your muscles strong.
https://www.activekids.com/fitness/articles/full-body-conditioning-exercises-for-kids
Dance
Do you love to dance? I do! See if you can learn this dance from the video. Not only is it good exercise but it's fun! I'd love to see a video of you dancing when you've learned it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=seg8bLgxV1g
Yoga
Not all exercise involves jumping and dancing. Yoga is one of my favorite ways to exercise. It's good for the body, mind, and spirit. The link below will take you to a site that has several yoga videos designed specifically for children. I've brought my own kids to yoga with me and they've really enjoyed it. Namaste.
https://awakeandmindful.com/best-kids-yoga-videos-on-youtube
Proper hand washing is extremely important to help keep ourselves healthy. Please see the videos below for important hand washing facts and demonstrations on how to wash the right way. Lets all be germ busters!
The Importance of Sleep!
Sleep is very important for our physical, emotional, and mental health. Proper sleep helps us stay healthy, boosts our immune system, helps our memory, behavior, and mental health. Did you know that not getting enough sleep can lead to depression, high blood pressure, obesity, memory and concentration issues, and many more problems? How much sleep is enough for children? Below are the recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
AGE Recommended Sleep Hours per 24 Hour Period (Including Naps)
Infants (4-12 months) 12-16 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years) 11-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5 years) 10-13 hours
Gradeschoolers (6-12 years) 9-12 hours
Teens (13-18 years) 8-10 hours
For more information on how to develop healthy sleep habits, see the following article: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-How-Many-Hours-Does-Your-Child-Need.aspx