5 Back-to-School Health Tips for Parents

It's that time of year again when your kids go back to school and everyone's schedule fills up with sports events, extracurriculars, and activities that can take up a lot of your free time. Making sure everyone has what they need and coordinating schedules can become stressful for not only your kids but for you as well.

After a long summer break, it can take some adjustments for the whole family to get back into the swing of things. Here are 5 health tips to ensure your children have a healthy, fun school year:

Make sure vaccinations are up to date

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services requires certain immunizations that protect students and children from preventable diseases.

By Wisconsin law, all students are required to record their immunizations or have a signed waiver

Check with your children's school to ensure they have up-to-date vaccine records prior to the start of the school year
The flu shot may be recommended but is not required

Set a timely morning and night routine

Having a set routine can not only be beneficial to you but it can help your kids manage their time in the morning/night before school. Adults need a good 7-8 hours of sound sleep while children need more than that:

Preschoolers: 10-13 hours
School-aged: 9-11 hours
Teens: 8-10 hours

If your kids are having a hard time falling asleep at night, consider how much time they are spending on their screens

Trade in the electronic devices for a warm bath or a fun reading book at least 2 hours before sleep

Maintain good hygiene

Germs lurk on every single surface of the classroom so it is important to teach your kids proper hygiene while they are at school and even at home. Washing their hands after the restroom, before lunch, and after recess should be taught before they go back!

Having access to hand sanitizer also helps
Do NOT allow your kids to share hair brushes, hats, or any other hair accessories, lice thrive off of school-aged children
Unfortunately, lice have nothing to do with personal hygiene at home or cleanliness in the classroom, it is the direct contact that makes it spread

Control stress

As we talked about earlier, the back-to-school season can be stressful for everyone, and without the tools to handle it, your kids can suffer from weakened immune systems, insomnia, and other mental/physical health problems.

Look for signs in your kids that may be showing stress and encourage them to talk about their day
Develop healthy ways to cope with stress like going for a walk or playing catch outside
Limit extracurricular activities, and don't over-schedule because that can become overwhelming for the whole family

Sports & wellness exams

Scheduling a wellness exam for your child will assure you as a parent that they are ready to go back to school!
If your kids are involved in any sports, it is likely that they will need a sports physical before trying out or playing

Call our office or book an appointment online today for our sports physicals and wellness exams!