By Amanda Lindsey, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Grace Cottage Family Health
It seems like summer has just begun, and already we are seeing ads for back-to-school supplies!
It’s also a good time for parents to get their kids ready for school health-wise.
Here are some reminders, some tips to help families prepare for the upcoming school year:
- Has your child had a physical examination within the past year? Check to be sure. For Grace Cottage patients up to age 12, parents can set up a portal to see their child’s records; for older children, check with the provider directly.
If parents have any concerns about their child’s health or behavior in the past year, an annual exam before the start of school is an excellent opportunity to bring this up with your healthcare provider. It also allows the provider to sign any updated paperwork for the school, including medication forms and an asthma action plan, to be filed with the school nurse. Make sure to include any mental health concerns or recent traumas (death, divorce, etc.) with your child’s back-to-school paperwork.
- Make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date. A list of “Recommended Vaccines by Age” is available on the Vermont Department of Health website and can also be requested from your provider.
Besides being required for public schools in Vermont, immunizations are also safe and effective tools to prevent any serious illness, injury, or death from vaccine preventable diseases. Vaccines protect not ONLY your own child and family, but the rest of the community as well. For example, whooping cough (pertussis) is especially dangerous for elderly adults, and a beloved grandparent could become seriously ill with this disease through contract with an unvaccinated child. Measles, in particular, is highly contagious, and about 30% of all measles cases will result in complications.
If you have questions or concerns about vaccines, your provider is a great resource. Discuss your concerns with them. The American Academy of Pediatrics also has some wonderful information for families that you could use to prepare for your appointment.
- It’s also important to consider your child’s sleep schedule. Do you need to make some adjustments so that your child can be on time for school? Sleep is essential for both cognitive and physical development. Ensuring your child has enough sleep we will set them up for success in the school setting.
Having a calming and consistent bedtime routine can be helpful. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes a shower or bath, reading a book together, and tucking in is all it takes. Ideally, you will implement this 10 -14 days before the start of the school year so it’s a habit by the time school starts.
- Attend any back-to-school events or orientations. Have your child practice finding their classroom, take them for playtime on the new playground, and make sure that children who may walk to school or the bus stop know the route.
- And please talk to your child about bullying. Bullying is never acceptable, and students should always feel comfortable speaking up to a parent or teacher if they witness or fall victim to bullying. Stopbullying.gov has some great resources on how to talk to your students about this important issue.
This back-to-school health checklist can set your child up to have a good and successful year!
