1. Get adequate sleep. Help your child establish a consistent bedtime routine. Children in kindergarten through 6th grade, should get between nine to 11 hours of sleep a night. Quality of sleep is directly associated with your child’s behavior, eating habits and ability to fight off infections. Lack of sleep increases cravings for junk food and often results in mood swings, temper tantrums and greater risk for infections.
2. Exercise daily. Getting at least 60 minutes of exercise a day will help your child sleep better and is associated with fewer infections, better health outcomes, improved behavior and ability to manage stress as well as better performance at school.
3. Reduce screen time. Any screen time not associated with homework should be limited to less than two hours a day. This includes phones, television, tablets, video games and computers. The type of light emitted from these screens can reduce melatonin levels, making it more difficult to fall asleep and can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm.
4. Practice healthy eating habits. Healthy eating begins with a good breakfast! A healthy breakfast that includes protein, dairy and/or whole grains is directly correlated to positive behaviors throughout the day and improves your child’s ability to focus and concentrate. Have a healthy snack planned after school so your child will be less likely to reach for junk food. Top off the day with a family dinner; mealtimes spent with family promotes better health and well-being! Visit https://www.friendbulldogs.org for more information about our healthy school meal program!
5. Stay up-to-date on the flu shot and other immunizations. Schedule a flu-shot for you and your family in early fall. Getting the flu vaccine and other childhood immunizations, is one of the best things you can do to protect your child against the spread of infectious diseases. FPS will host Public Health Solutions for annual flu-shot clinic in October…stay tuned for more info!
6. Wash hands frequently to reduce spread of germs. Teach your child to sing the happy birthday song twice (about 20 seconds) while washing his or her hands. Make sure your child has a hand sanitizer to use when hand washing is not possible. Teach your child to keep hands away from their face and to cough or sneeze into their arm or shoulder.
7. Get regular hearing and vision checks. Make sure vision and hearing checks are part of your child’s annual routine wellness visits. Vision and hearing impairments can lead to behavioral issues and impact learning and development. FYI…The Lions Foundation will be conducting vision and hearing screening for students in Kindergarten through 4th grade, 7th and 10th grade in December.
8. Help your child deal with stress and anxiety. School, sports and social media can all be a source of stress and anxiety for your child. Monitor your child’s social media use closely and keep an open line of communication so you can identify bullying or other sources of stress or anxiety at school, and help your child deal with these types of issues. More information is available in this free guide and video from Bark: https://www.bark.us/blog/digital-citizenship/#ten+
9. Promote proper backpack safety. Heavy backpacks can cause neck, shoulder and back pain. Furnish your child with a good backpack that has two straps and good padding. The total backpack should not weigh more than 10 percent of your child’s weight.
10. Keep your child hydrated. Staying hydrated has numerous benefits; it can help prevent fatigue, improve mood, aid in digestion and weight maintenance, and improve brain function. Promote healthy drink choices like water and milk. Sugar-sweetened beverages should be eliminated from your child’s diet as much as possible! Beverages such as sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, juices and coffees are often packed with sugar, caffeine and other unwanted stimulants and ingredients and can lead to weight gain and other issues. For instance, too much caffeine can increase your child’s heart rate, blood pressure, interrupt sleep and cause nervousness and irritability. While it may temporarily provide spikes in energy, this will be followed by energy crashes and can reinforce bad lifestyle habits. Please provide your student a clear, reusable bottle and encourage him or her to take advantage of the water-fill stations located throughout the school!
*Adapted “10 tips to keep kids healthy this school year” By Jason Patera, MD, family practitioner and medical director at Elkhorn Health Center
Published August 28, 2019
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