We’re well into August and that means it’s back-to-school season! Whether or not your children have already started the new year, we’re here to make sure you’re ready with the knowledge you’ll need to keep their health in check this year. With a good routine and products to help with the ailments they may bring home from school — whether it’s a common cold or something less common like head lice — you’re sure to rock the new school year.
At this point, you may already be well stocked with your children’s school essential items; things their teachers recommended like folders, notebooks, and pencils. You’ve got all of the products you need to prepare yourself with for your kids’ school year. You’ve made a trip (or two, or three) to get all of the school supplies they need. You’ve made sure their name is marked on their belongings. But are you ready with packed lunch or after school snack plans, new routines, or other items you may need when your child inevitably comes home feeling a bit under the weather? Here are a few things to help you prepare for not only the in-school items they need to succeed, but other thoughts to keep them healthy and functioning at their best.
Routines
Whether your children have the same schedules as last year — same school, same sports schedules — or you’ve got children in a new school or trying new activities, make sure you’re ready with routines and plans to keep your day-to-day running smoothly.
- Eat healthy. From breakfasts to school lunches you pack to after-school snacks, set a routine that you and your kids will stick to. Provide snacks that are easy to access but are also healthy. Label storage bins in the fridge or pantry as “after-school snacks” for kids to have an easy item to grab without needing to ask for your help or permission. Let them help choose which healthy snacks to have at home so they feel like they’re part of the process.
- Set an after-school routine. Sports, homework, snack time, chores. There can be a lot on your children’s plates after school is over, especially as they get older. Get a routine in place so they know what they need to do after school and how to efficiently use their time. For younger children, make a reusable checklist they can cross off on their own after they finish a task to help them take some ownership of their day.
- Establish a bedtime routine. Put a bedtime routine into place that will make the end of the evening easier for everyone. Go to bed at the same time every night and have phones put away at least an hour before lights out to limit screen time and blue light exposure that interrupts sleep cycles.
Staying healthy
Despite all of your best efforts, not everyone is going to stay healthy all the time. Many of the sickness and ailments that children endure originate at school. Be prepared for a variety of situations that your child could come home with.
- Ear, nose, and throat ailments. Having a primary care doctor is crucial to your children’s overall health, and we always recommend going to your doctor if you feel like something is off. However, being aware of your children’s health can help you catch some things at the onset before they get worse. The Department of Education reported that about 1 in 6 children missed at least 15 days of school during the 2015-16 school year1, so it’s important to do what you can to keep illness at bay and absent days to a minimum. Keeping an at-home medi-scope kit, for example, can help you record more accurate information to share with your doctor when you do go in for a visit. Document symptoms as soon as they start, and if you child is experiencing an earache or sore throat, for example, take a look to see if you can see anything off. Take note of what you see and what your child is complaining about and bring those notes with you to the doctor.
- Around 1 in 10 children will contract head lice at some point during their school years, according to CareSpot.2 Lice is transferred from head-to-head contact, notes WebMD, not by “jumping” from person to person while in close proximity, as is commonly mistaken.3 Because lice isn’t associated with personal hygiene or cleanliness, it is not recommended that children go home immediately upon diagnosis with lice. Instead, they should finish the day of school and then return home after treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control.4 In fact, sending children home from school with lice might do more harm than good, as children who’ve been infected may be stigmatized or mistreated for the diagnosis. If your child comes home with lice, find a treatment that works for you and keep your own lice comb on hand.
- Noise sensitivities. For children with noise sensitivities, being in environments that are too loud can have a negative effect on their learning and focus. Sensitivities to stimuli are becoming more commonly discussed. One example is hyperacusis, or being sensitive to noise that would not typically be seen as bothersome to others. It affects up to 17% of school age children and can cause anxiety or concentration difficultis.5 Having a trusty ear plug on hand that will help quiet some of the outside noise while they’re trying to do homework either in school or at home, which will help their focus and concentration levels.
If kids are feeling nervous about going back to school, let them know it’s okay to be nervous! Whether it’s a new school, a new teacher, new classmates, or just being in a new grade, it’s okay to not know what to expect. But being ready with items and routines like above will help you — and them — be ready to tackle anything the new school year throws your way. All of these routines and preparations can be difficult to start at the beginning of the school year when you may still be longing for the flexibility and freedom of summertime. It’ll take time to get the routine and preparations down, but we know you can do it!
References:
- Department of Education. Chronic Absenteeism in the Nation’s Schools. https://www2.ed.gov/datastory/chronicabsenteeism.html
- Chance a school aged child will get lice: One in 10. https://www.carespot.com/blog/chance-school-aged-child-will-get-lice-one-10/
- Don’t Make Kids With Head Lice Leave School, Report Says. https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20220930/dont-make-kids-with-head-lice-leave-school-report-says
- Centers for Disease Control. Head Lice Information for Schools. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/schools.html
- Boston Children’s Hospital. https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/hyperacusis