Stress

Stress

Stress is the “adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them”. (HSE)

Everyone will experience stress over their life so we thought we would give some information on what to look out for but most importantly some strategies for how to deal with stress so you can manage it more successfully.

Let’s start by seeing what stress does to our bodies.

What happens to our body when we are stressed?

·       Adrenal gland produces adrenaline This speeds up the heart and increases blood pressure

·       Adrenal gland produces cortisol This increases glucose in the blood and energy production. Over long periods of stress these reactions can cause illness and reduce life expectancy

·       The pituitary gland produces oxytocin This can reverse the effects of stress

Stress affects people differently- what stresses one person may not affect another. Factors such as skills and experience, age or disability may all affect whether a person can cope.

Stress can be a result of many things please see some examples below.

Causes of stress include:

·       Work                                                                    

·       Relationships

·       Bereavement

·       Moving house

·       Finances

·       Poor physical health

·       Divorce

·       Bullying

·       Family and friends

·       Poor behaviour

·       Travel

·       Personal issues

How you may feel mentally and emotionally:

·       Anxious

·       Angry

·       Lack of concentration

·       Difficulty in making decisions

·       Low self-esteem

·       Sad

·       Frustrated

·       Overwhelmed

·       Constant worrying

·       Racing thoughts

How you may feel physically:

·       Headaches

·       Chest pain

·       Tiredness

·       Nausea

·       Muscle tension

·       Dizziness

 Behavioural effects:

·       Outbursts of anger

·       Undereating or overeating

·       Changes in sex drive

·       Restlessness

·       Social withdrawal

·       Exercising less often than usual

Long-term stress can have some serious side effects.

Long-term effects of stress can include:

·       Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders

·       Cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke

·       Problems with your immune system, lower resistance to infection and skin conditions

·       Digestion problems such as appetite loss, stomach ulcers, vomiting and diarrhoea

·       Excessive changes in your behaviour such as alcohol and substance misuse

Here are some strategies to help you cope with stress better.

Coping strategies for stress:

·       Realise when stress is becoming a problem and identify the underlying causes

·       Build emotional strength and re-organise your lifestyle to tackle the causes

·       Eat a healthy diet, avoid skipping meals and try to adopt regular eating patterns

·       Make time for yourself to relax and socialise with friends and family

·       Set yourself goals or challenges to help build your confidence

·       Avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption

·       Help others in situations worse than yours as this can help to put your own problems into perspective

·       Look for the positives in life and things for which you’re grateful, rather than the cause of your stress

·       Meditation can help with keeping a calm and clear mindset

·       Stepping away from a situation and taking some deep breaths can help in the short-term

Stress is part of everyday life but knowing how to cope with it can improve your mental health and reduce the risk of adverse effects to your body long term.    

Childhood Asthma

Childhood Asthma 

 Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition for children. 1 in 11 children currently receive treatment for Asthma. It is an inflammatory condition that affects the airways and with appropriate management quality of life can be improved.

Having asthma has implications for a child’s schooling and learning. Appropriate asthma care is necessary for the child’s immediate safety, long-term well-being and optimal academic performance. Whilst some children may be independent with their treatment, other children will require intervention from school staff. 

Asthma Checklist 

• Every child with asthma should have an individual healthcare plan (IHP).
• Each school has an up to date medical/asthma conditions policy
• Children and young people should have appropriate supervision depending on their individual needs
• Children and young people should have immediate access to their inhalers ideally in the classroom/playground. It is the school’s responsibility to make sure staff know where the inhalers are kept
• In an asthma attack the inhaler should always be taken to the child
• Schools should attempt to have at least one emergency asthma inhaler kit available
• Early years settings and primary schools: Children and young people may require support to manage their asthma in school in line with the Children and Families Act 2014
• Secondary school: The student will be largely independent of central support but may require intermittent support
• The school will maintain a register of children and young people with asthma
• Staff will have access to appropriate training and annual updates on how to treat an asthma attack

School Sports and Asthma

As we celebrate the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paraolymic games, we once again highlight the importance of sporting activity, especially for children. In the past, it seemed impossible for athletes with an asthma diagnosis to compete at the top levels of sport. But that is not the case today! 

Below are, some tips to support children exercising with asthma:

·       Warm up before the activity

·       Cool down afterwards (teaching staff may need to allow extra time for children with asthma to do this) 

·       Exercise in comfortable temperatures (avoid very cold or warm weather) 

One of the primary goals of asthma management is to ensure that all children with a diagnosis of asthma are able to lead normal lives, this includes being outdoors, playing with friends and joining in with school sporting activities. There are now many elite athletes who have achieved excellence in their sport with an asthma diagnosis. According to The British Journal of Sports Medicine, asthma effects around eight percent of Olympic Athletes, proving that, with encouragement and support, school children of today are tomorrows Olympians! 

Free Asthma resources are available at:

https://www.strongrootstraining.com/posters

Good Habits for First Aiders

Good Habits for First Aid 

• Plan and Reflect on First Aid  

A safe environment is a happy workplace! If a First Aid incident occurs, afterwards the incident should be discussed and staff debriefed. Share what ifs and how you may have dealt with the incident differently. This debrief should be a safe place to discuss what happened, what action was taken and how to improve practice next time. It is also good practice to plan for possible or common First Aid scenarios. This way when something does happen, staff are capable and confident to take action.   

•       A well stocked and in date First Aid Kit  

This one is simple but easily forgotten. It is recommended that a First Aider takes responsibility for checking and ordering items, usually monthly or more frequently if required.  The most common items to be replaced are gloves, scissors and plasters. Good practice is to know your first aid kit and keep it well ordered with an accessible and logical layout. 

•       Visible First Aid Posters 

Most working environments have staff notice boards which are the ideal place for First Aid posters. These posters act as quick, visual reminders of how to respond to First Aid situations and enable First Aid trained staff to feel confident and competent.  You can find various FREE posters on the Strong Roots website by following the link below: 

https://www.strongrootstraining.com/posters

Most first aid certificates are renewed after 3 years. Over this time knowledge and ability to respond naturally fades. If very few incidents are dealt with, this lack of practice reduces confidence and competence further. There is no legal obligation to provide formal training during the intervening 3-year period. However, HSE strongly recommend that first aid staff members undertake annual refresher training. This will help qualified first aiders maintain their basic skills and keep up to date with any changes in procedure. Please see the link below to access the Strong Roots online annual refresher course. 

https://www.strongrootstraining.com/elearning

Natasha's Law

Natasha’s Law: Are You Ready? 

On 1st October 2021, Natasha’s Law will implement new food information regulations for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This law is designed to increase allergy safety and requires catering staff to investigate and document ingredients on certain food items prepared in school. The requirement of Natasha’s Law is that food and ingredients pre-packaged onsite meet all the labelling requirements of the new legislation.

For most schools, this will involve supplier management of external catering suppliers. However, schools have an obligation to evidence that their supplier is following the law. 

What is Natasha’s Law?

Natasha died from an allergic reaction to sesame seeds, which were unlisted in the pre-packed baguette she was eating. The baguette’s packaging contained no specific allergen information and therefore Natasha thought it was safe for her to eat.

Under the new rules, food that is pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) must display the food’s name and a full list of ingredients, emphasising any allergenic ingredients, on the packaging.

How will Natasha’s Law apply to school catering?

It’s estimated that around one in five children has a food allergy.

PPDS food is classed as food that is packaged at the same place that it is offered or sold. If schools provide pupils with food that caterers pre-pack on-site, this will need to comply with all the necessary regulations. It applies to food that people can select for themselves, or that is offered from behind a counter, such as sandwiches, wraps, salads, and cakes. 

Action Plan Check List for Treating Anaphylaxis;

• Call an ambulance immediately!

• Who will treat the child whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive? Keeping staff First Aid Certificates up to date is a legal requirement for all schools. However, good practice is that all staff are aware of Basic First Aid and Epi Pen requirements and usage.

• Where are adrenaline pens kept? ie in a known, accessible location and not locked away.

• Who should administer the adrenaline and how they can be contacted swiftly in an emergency?

• Who else must be contacted in an emergency? Best Practice suggests that the member or members of staff who are on scene have an opportunity to reflect of procedures and debrief.