to your health:tips for the new school year
Here are a few tips for a very successful school year. The way children start their school year sets the tone for the next nine months. Hopefully, these common sense ideas and advice will help them have a wonderful 2016/2017 school year.
Backpack Safety
I see many children with back pain. In a lot of these cases, it can be traced to the backpack. Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child's body weight. Go through the pack with your child weekly, and remove unneeded items to keep it light. Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles. Adjust the pack so that the bottom sits at the waist. If your school allows, consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load.
Travelling To and From School
Remind your bus riders to wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb. Make sure your child walks where he/she can see the bus driver (which means the driver will be able to see him/her, too). Remind your student to look both ways to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing the street, just in case traffic does not stop as required. If your child's school bus has lap or shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times when on the bus.
If your child is a car rider, she should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age. ) All children younger than 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicle.
Bikers should ALWAYS wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride. This is non-negotiable. The protection that a bike helmet can give your child in the event of a fall is priceless. Make sure your child rides on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic and rides in bike lanes. Your child should always wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility. A bright colored vest can be used instead of bright colored clothing. White or light-colored clothing and reflective gear is especially important after dusk.
Make sure your child's walk to school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection. Identify other children in the neighborhood with whom your child can walk to school. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
Eating during the school day
Studies show that children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better. They do better in school, have better concentration and more energy. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Just think that your child has been fasting since before going to bed. The fuel tank is almost empty. Our brains are very sensitive to the level of glucose in our blood and work much better when we have had a good breakfast.
Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home or have them posted on the school's website. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one that is not nutritious or healthy. One of the biggest issues we have with our local school districts is that children have to pay to have a bottle of water during school. However, high calorie drinks such as juice, chocolate milk are served free of charge. Each 12-ounce soft drink/ juice or chocolate milk contains approximately 10- 15 teaspoons of sugar and 150-200 calories. Drinking just one of these drinks per day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%. Send your child a bottle of water for them to drink during lunch instead.
Developing good study habits
Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework starting at a young age. Children need a consistent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study. Schedule ample time for homework; build this time into choices about participation in after school activities. Establish a household rule that the TV and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time. Children should probably not have more than one hour of screen time every day. Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for him/her. Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.
If your child is struggling with a particular subject, speak with your child's teacher for recommendations on how you or another person can help your child at home or at school. Remember, learning issues don’t get better on their own. The best strategy is to pick them up as early as possible during the school year and get the appropriate help for your child. Don’t wait until your child is failing to get help. Please bring up any learning problems or issues with the child’s teacher, principal and of course your pediatrician.
Some children need help organizing their homework. Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems. This is a great time to establish those organizational skills that are going to help your child throughout life.
Some children may need help remembering their assignments. Work with your child and their teacher to develop an appropriate way to keep track of their assignments – such as an assignment notebook.
Sleep
Finally one of the most important factors for your child to be successful at school is to get enough sleep. Last month’s article discussed the sleep needs for different ages and any sleep issues in more detail. Establish a good sleep routine. Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness.
The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time; hopefully these tips will help you and your child get off to a great start!
Xavier Sevilla MD FAAP
Xcel Pediatrics
8936 77th Terrace East
Suite 103
Lakewood Ranch
Phone 941-877-1199