STATE REQUIRED HEALTH SCREENINGS

Dripping Springs ISD follows the Texas Department of Health Services guidelines in providing the following required health screenings for students.

VISION AND HEARING SCREENING

• Vision and hearing screening is performed on all students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grades, as well as any student who is new to DSISD.  State Vision/Hearing Rules

ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS (AN) SCREENING

• Acanthosis Nigricans is a skin marker which may indicate pre-diabetes. AN is a light brown or black, velvety, rough, or thickened area or "marker" on the surface of the skin (usually on the neck). The presence of AN may signal high insulin levels, which puts a person at risk for stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Students in 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades will be screened for Acanthosis Nigricans (AN). School nurses will conduct AN screening during state-mandated hearing, vision or spinal screenings by looking for the skin marker on the back of the neck. Children who are identified with the marker will also be assessed for body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure. Risk assessments are then issued to the parents of these children, alerting parents of the child's risk factors and encouraging further evaluation by a health professional.  AN Screening Information

SCOLIOSIS SCREENING

• School-based spinal screening helps to identify students with abnormal spinal curves and refer them for appropriate follow-up by their primary care physician. Screening can detect scoliosis at an early stage when the curve is mild and may go unnoticed. Early detection is the key to controlling spinal deformities. In order to identify unnatural curvatures of the spine, this screening is required for girls two times, once at age 10 (in fall semester of grade 5) and again at age 12 (in fall semester of grade 7). It is required for boys one time at age 13 or 14 (or in the fall semester grade 8). State Spinal Screening Rules

The results of these screenings may indicate that your child needs diagnostic evaluation by a healthcare provider of your choice. Referrals to physicians are made as needed by the campus nurse. Parents are urged to obtain appropriate medical care following a school screening referral and provide documentation to the nurse afterwards.

If you do not wish the district health staff to perform the state-required screenings, you must notify the campus nurse as soon as possible so that your student will not be screened in the fall semester.  For these students, documentation of the state required screenings from a healthcare provider of your choice must be provided to the campus nurse before January 30th or the district health staff is required to screen your student in the spring semester.  Contact your child's nurse for further instructions or to inquire about a religious exemption.