The Medical Minute: Back to school health tips for parents
Somehow, the end of summer break is quickly approaching and soon students will return to school.
Are you and your children ready?
This isn’t about buying the most efficient supplies or the cutest outfit or the most stylish kicks. This is about what children must do to be prepared ― and successful ― mentally and physically.
Dr. Kate Sanchez, assistant director of pediatrics, Division of Academic General Pediatrics for Penn State Health, and a mother of three, offers thoughts about what parents need to know and do to make this year’s transition a little easier.
Health screenings
Attending annual wellness checks is always essential, whether they occur in summer or during the school year. Many schools require paperwork to be completed by physicians before the start of school.
It’s best for parents to fill out the front page of those documents prior to arriving at the doctor’s office. An updated health history and list of medicines is essential for pediatricians before any examinations occur.
Most pediatricians also screen for hearing and vision in their offices, often every other year, and will refer to audiologists or ophthalmologists if there are any abnormalities. Schools may also check hearing and vision periodically as well.
“I think it’s good to get those from a couple different sources, so that way we are catching anybody who is struggling a little bit,” Sanchez said.
Getting boosters/vaccines
Generally, Sanchez said, there are three markers for students regarding boosters/vaccines: Entering kindergarten or first grade, entering sixth grade and entering 11th grade.
The first is often the most difficult, given how frightened many of the patients are. Children ages 4 or 5 undergo multiple shots during these exams, including vaccines or boosters to guard against MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), chickenpox, DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) and polio.
The next wave comes around age 11, when students receive a Tdap booster (similar to DTaP, but approved for older children), their first meningococcal vaccine to help prevent meningitis and are recommended to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
In 11th grade, the second meningococcal vaccine is administered, fulfilling the required immunization for students.
As for COVID-19 vaccines, the most updated booster currently available came out in 2023. If a student received that one, he or she does not need another booster before school starts, according to Sanchez. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine, which is due to arrive this fall.
If students are feeling sick and dealing with symptoms such as nausea or fever, Sanchez encourages parents to keep them home until they are feeling better. The best way to not spread illnesses is to stay away from others when you’re ill.
“That’s how other kids get sick and then it’s a vicious cycle,” she said. “It’s important to be OK with saying, ‘This kid needs to stay home if they have had a fever in the past 24 hours or any vomiting or diarrhea.’ That will be a big component of helping to stop the spread of any viral illness, COVID or otherwise.”
Fueling up for school
School mornings can be frenetic, but Sanchez stresses the best way to be prepared for a long day at school is taking a few minutes for breakfast.
“I hear so many kids tell me that they don’t eat breakfast,” Sanchez said. “I’m definitely ‘Team Breakfast’ all the way. Our brain is an engine, and it needs fuel. That fuel comes from food.”
In a perfect world, an adolescent should eat a breakfast that includes a protein, a complex carbohydrate and a serving of fruit – an egg, a slice of whole grain toast and some berries or a banana would be excellent.
As a mom, however, Sanchez knows that can’t always happen. If a sit-down breakfast is impossible, she suggests kids eat a cheese stick or a drinkable yogurt or a granola bar.
While at school, a balanced lunch and a consistent supply of water are key. Most schools allow students to tote water bottles. Also, Sanchez said, bring home the bottle occasionally to wash it. Just because it holds water, doesn’t mean it can’t get gross in a locker.
Don’t sleep on sleep
A well-rested student is an alert and prepared student. But once the school year gets rolling, with studying and sports and socializing, sleep often is compromised.
Proper sleep is essential for physical and mental well-being, Sanchez said. She suggests 10 hours for most students. Younger kids should get between 10 and 13 hours of sleep daily and teens can function well with eight to 10. But 10 should be the goal.
Within a week before school starts, students should alter their bedtime rituals to prepare for early mornings. That’ll make it a lot easier to get up when the alarm rings.
Sanchez said many of her patients say they try to go to bed early but can’t sleep because their minds are racing. She suggests doing breathing exercises before bed ― and putting the phones away to let minds and eyes relax.
Adjust the eyes and fill the lungs
Physicians prefer patients to spend less than two hours staring at screens daily, whether it’s a phone, tablet or laptop. The reality is schools often use computer screens in lessons, and so that two-hour limit can be exhausted by lunchtime.
Students must do what they can, when possible, to alleviate the stress put on the body when sitting at a desk and staring at a screen for hours. That includes neck and shoulder stretches when feeling tension in those areas, and changing the focus of their eyes, if possible.
Sanchez suggests going outside for a few minutes during a break, getting some sunlight, gulping fresh air and looking at focal points in the distance, maybe a hill or a field, for a short spell. Anything to give your eyes and body a break.
Don’t forget mental health focus
School can be both challenging and stressful, especially as students age and pressures to succeed heighten. Parents and students should recognize that and have open dialogue about what adolescents are experiencing.
Pediatricians will screen for anxiety and depression during wellness visits with older children and the primary message is: Find trusted people to talk to when feeling overwhelmed.
“This is important stuff that you need to make sure to talk about with your friends and your family,” Sanchez said. “Normalize it. Because school is hard for everybody.”
Sanchez is a big believer in coping exercises such as box breathing ― a deep breath for four seconds, holding for four seconds, breathing out for four more seconds and pausing for four more seconds before repeating ― to help calm and re-focus during anxious moments. Students with Apple Watches can use the breathing app to help restore their mindfulness.
Related content:
- The Medical Minute: Take the Back-to-School Pop Quiz
- The Medical Minute: Returning to school year sleep routines
The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health. Articles feature the expertise of faculty, physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.
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