YDI offers back-to-school safety and wellness tips

Tips for a healthy and safe school year

It’s hard to believe summer is winding down and children all over Delmarva are preparing to go back to school.

One thing that often comes with back-to-school time is a rise in viruses, colds and other illnesses. Your Doc’s In offers a quick and easy solution. You can just walk in or schedule an appointment online for your children’s urgent care needs at any of our six locations.

The following health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and will help you and your children make a smooth and health transition into the new school year:

Eating during the school day

Studies show children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better. They do better in school and have better concentration and more energy. Some schools provide breakfast for children; if yours does not, make sure they eat a breakfast that contains some protein.

Many children qualify for free or reduced-price food at school, including breakfast. The forms for these services can be completed at the school office. Hunger will affect a child’s performance in class.
Look into what is offered inside and outside of the cafeteria, including vending machines, a la carte, school stores, snack carts and fundraisers held during the school day. All foods sold during the school day must meet nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They should stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, low-fat dairy products, water and 100 percent fruit juice.
Also, consider nutrition if you pack your child’s lunch. Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60 percent. Choose healthier options (such as water and appropriately sized juice and low-fat dairy products) to send in your child’s lunch.

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Develop a sleep routine

Getting enough sleep is critical for a child to be successful in school. Children who do not get enough sleep have difficulty concentrating and learning as well as they can.
Set a consistent bedtime for your child and stick with it every night. Having a bedtime routine that is consistent will help your child settle down and fall asleep.
Have your child turn off electronic devices well before bedtime and try to have the home as quiet and calm as possible when younger children are trying to fall asleep.
Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement and higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness. The optimal amount of sleep for most younger children is 10 to 12 hours per night and for adolescents (13-18) is in the range of 8-10 hours per night.

Backpack safety

Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all its compartments, and 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.
Remind your child to always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
Adjust the pack so that the bottom sits at your child’s 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.

Traveling to and from school

Bus riders:

Children should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building. Remind your child to wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb. Make sure your child walks where she can see the bus driver (which means the driver will be able to see her, too).
Remind your student to look both ways to look for traffic before crossing the street, just in case traffic does not stop as required.
Encourage your child to practice crossing the street several times before the first day of school.
If your child has a chronic condition that could result in an emergency on the bus, make sure you work with the school nurse or other school health personnel to have a bus emergency plan, if possible, prior to the first day of class

Car riders:

Your child should ride in a car seat with a harness as long as possible and then 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 vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat (when carpooling, for example), move the front-seat passenger’s seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.
Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You should require seat belt use, limit the number of teen passengers, and do not allow eating, drinking, cell phone conversations even when using hands-free devices, texting or other mobile device use to prevent driver distraction.

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Bike riders:

Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.
Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic and ride in bike lanes if they are present.
Practice the bike route to school before the first day of school to make sure that your child can manage it.
Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility. White or light-colored clothing and reflective gear is especially important after dark.

Walkers:

Children are generally ready to start walking to school at 9 to 11 years of age.
Identify other children in the neighborhood with whom your child can walk to school. In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider organizing a "walking school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.
If your children are young or are walking to a new school, walk with them or have another adult walk with them the first week or until you are sure they know the route and can do it safely. If your child needs to cross a street on the way to school, practice safe street crossing with them before the start of school.

These above tips should get you on your way to a successful and productive new school year!