Back to School Tips

HealthyChildren.org provides the following health tips to help your child start this school year strong.

1. Prioritize the basics: sleep, exercise & nutrition:
Begin with the basics. Make sure your child eats nutritious meals, stays hydrated with water, and gets plenty of physical activity and sleep.
2. Stay up-to-date on checkups & immunizations:
If your child has not had a well-child checkup in the last year, schedule a back-to-school physical. They may also require a pre-participation (sports) exam if they will be playing a sport at school.
3. Tune in to your child's mental health:
Many children and teens have had mental health challenges over the past few years. Let your child know it's OK to talk about with you about how they're feeling.
4. Talk about racism, bullying & kindness:
Some children are absent from school because of racism, hate or bullying. Talk with your child and encourage them to seek help from a trusted adult if they are discriminated against or witness an act of bullying or discrimination against others.
5. Plan for mindful media use:
The change in routine is a good time to create or update your family media plan so you can help your child balance screen time with sleep, exercise and other healthy activities.
For helpful resources, visit: https://www.icpeds.com/Resources/Other-Resources