Health Tips for Back to School Preparation

The next school year is just around the corner, and it’s time to start preparing your child for success in their upcoming new year. While preparing your child for school should mainly consist of buying new school supplies and a back-to-school wardrobe there are also a few health concerns that you may wish to address in your back-to-school planning.

Health Tips for Back to School Preparation:

Invest in Safe Clothing – In the United States alone, more than two hundred thousand children receive emergency hospital care for injuries that occurred on the playground. Because playing on the playground apparatus will likely be the main event of your child’s recess and lunch breaks, so it’s important to ensure that they are properly equipped for those activities. During back to school shopping, avoid purchasing clothing with drawstrings and ensure that all clothing fits snugly, to minimize the chance of getting clothing caught in the playground apparatus.

Implement Habits that Reduce Spread of Germs – Schools are, unfortunately, a great place for germs. Over a single school day, your child will likely come into contact with millions of germs, some that cause common colds and others that have much more serious consequences. By implementing good hygiene habits at home, such as washing hands for at least twenty seconds and sneezing into the elbow, you can help your child to avert colds and the spread of germs. You can additionally discourage the spread of germs by teaching your child to avoid sharing drinks, chap-stick and other personal hygiene items with friends.

Adjust Sleep Habits For School – Sleep is a crucial component to your child’s success at school, and by adjusting your child’s sleep patterns in the weeks before school, you can also make the back-to-school transition much easier. Start by implementing a bedtime and wakeup time, and gradually move these times earlier by about fifteen minutes each day until school begins. Adjust activities to allow your child to utilize the morning hours, and try to avoid exercise, caffeine and television before bed. Your child should be sleeping approximately nine hours in order to be awake and alert at school.

Immunizations – Make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date, even if they didn’t enjoy their last shot. Immunizations provide protection from many serious diseases that you child could pick up at school.

Buy the Right Backpack – Your child will likely have some sort of homework during the school year, and it’s important to purchase a backpack that will allow them to do so without giving them back problems. Choose a back pack with wide, padded shoulder straps as well as a padded back. Encourage your child to wear both shoulder straps in order to prevent back pain. Your child should only carry fifteen percent of their own body weight on their back, so help your child to pack light, as everything but the kitchen sink won’t be needed in the classroom.

Heading back to school is an exciting time for everyone. By following these simple tips, you can maximize your child’s school experience as well as promote success for them in the classroom.