Back to School: How to Protect Your Kids from Common Illness and Injury

As summer comes to a close and kids head back to school, it's important to remember some basics about keeping your children safe and healthy. Here are some tips on how to protect your kids from common illness and injury, so you can focus on the more important things - like homework!

 

Vaccinations

 First, make sure your kids are up to date on their vaccinations. This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect them from disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) credit vaccines with eradicating or dramatically reducing some of the deadliest childhood diseases, including polio, diphtheria, and measles.

 

It's that time of year again: kids are heading back to school and parents are scrambling to make sure they have everything they need. Along with new clothes and school supplies, one of the most important things on the list is vaccinations. Vaccines help to protect kids from a variety of dangerous diseases, including the flu, polio, and measles. In recent years, there has also been a push to vaccinate kids against HPV, a virus that can cause cancer. 

 

While the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone aged six months and older, it's especially important for kids to get vaccinated. That's because kids are more likely to experience severe complications from the flu, and they're also more likely to spread the virus to others. In addition, kids who are vaccinated are less likely to miss school due to illness. As a result, getting kids vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect them from the flu.

 

There's another good reason to get kids vaccinated this year: Covid-19. While kids are less likely to experience severe symptoms from Covid-19, they can still contract the virus and spread it to others.

 

The exact vaccinations required vary from state to state, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all children receive the following vaccinations:

 

• DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis): 5 doses

 

• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis): 1 dose

 

• Polio: 4 doses

 

• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella): 2 doses

 

• Varicella (chickenpox): 2 doses

 

Handwashing

Secondly, teach your kids good hand-washing habits. It's important to remind them to wash their hands regularly, especially before eating or after using the bathroom.

 

Handwashing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of disease. Yet, according to a recent study, nearly one in four kids do not wash their hands properly after using the bathroom. This can have serious consequences, as poor hand hygiene can lead to the spread of bacteria and viruses, leading to illness.

 

There are a number of reasons why kids may not wash their hands properly. In some cases, it may simply be that they forget. However, in other cases, it may be that they do not know how to wash their hands properly. For instance, many kids do not use soap when they wash their hands, which greatly reduces the effectiveness of handwashing. Additionally, some kids may not scrub their hands for long enough, or may not reach all areas of their hands when they wash.

 

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to help improve handwashing among kids. One is to provide them with proper instruction on how to wash their hands effectively. This can be done through posters or handouts that explain the proper handwashing technique. Additionally, it is important to make sure that kids have access to soap and water when they need it. This means keeping bathrooms stocked with soap and making sure that taps are running properly. It is also important to set a good example for kids by washing your own hands regularly and thoroughly.

 

Back Packs

Finally, Carrying a heavy backpack can cause back pain in kids. This is because the weight of the backpack pulls on the muscles and nerves in the back, causing strain and tension. Additionally, if the backpack is too big or doesn't fit properly, it can throw off the child's natural balance, putting even more strain on the back. Back pain is a common complaint among school-aged kids, and often gets worse as the year goes on. If your child is complaining of back pain, take a look at their backpack to see if it might be too heavy or ill-fitting. Reducing the amount of weight they're carrying around each day can help to ease their back pain.

To help prevent back pain, it's important to choose a backpack that is the right size and weight for your child. Backpacks should be no bigger than the child's back and shouldn't weigh more than 10 percent of the child's body weight. Additionally, kids should be taught how to properly distribute the weight of the backpack by wearing it over both shoulders. If your child is having back pain, talk to their doctor or a physical therapist about ways to relieve the pain.

 

It’s important to prepare your kids for the new school year by protecting them from common illness and injury. By preparing your kids with the proper information and supplies, you can help keep them healthy and safe throughout the year. For more articles and information about Spring + Heights Hospitals visit www.SpringHeights.care.