Your back-to-school health checklist

You have a dozen notebooks and some freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils, but do you have a plan for keeping your child healthy this school year?

Jeremy Peterson, MD, a family medicine physician at M Health Fairview Clinic - Princeton and health advisor for Princeton Public Schools, offers some tips to make it the healthiest school year yet.

And don’t worry, your homework isn’t all due the first day of school.

Prepare any medications needed at school.

If your child needs an inhaler, EpiPen, or other medication at school, make sure the medication isn’t expired and that the medication permission forms are filled out and signed. Back-to-school season is a busy time of year for primary care providers, and they understandably get a lot of requests for these forms. To help with the process, Peterson recommends filling out the form as much as you can and bringing a copy of last year’s form if you have it.

Get up to date on vaccines.

Minnesota kids are falling behind on their recommended vaccines, which is leading to an increase in measles cases. Your child’s primary care provider can tell you what vaccines your child needs. Later this fall, updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines will be available to help protect against the virus variants currently circulating.

Each child’s situation, health situation, and needs are different, so talk to your child’s primary care provider will ensure that your child is appropriately protected against preventable diseases.  This is especially true if they have immunocompromising conditions or are behind on the typical vaccination schedule.

Talk about the schedule.

On summer break, bedtime schedule and rules about screentime might be loosened up a bit. But when kids have to be clean, fed, and in their seats at school with homework done by 8:55 a.m., you might have to double down on the rules. Tell your kids what to expect during the school year, such as screentime limits, playtime with friends, and bedtime. Older kids will benefit from talking about the limits and expectations together.

Encourage after-school activities.

Getting involved in school activities is good for children’s social and emotional health, Peterson said. He encourages kids to get involved in something, such as a sport, the school play, choir, or a club. Not only are school activities a safe place to try something new, but they’re also a great way to meet other kids with similar interests. If cost is a concern, please don't hesitate to ask about reduced fees within the school or organization. You might have to fill out a form, but public schools and organizations may have grant dollars, outside donations, or other opportunities to waive or reduce fees.

“The schools want your child to succeed, and academic success is very closely tied to being involved in after-school activities,” Peterson said.

Prepare healthy snacks.

Going back to school might require some extra nutrients to power kids’ learning and activity. Kids might need to eat a snack when they get home, so if you can, try to have some healthy options for them.

“Kids are going to gravitate to whatever is easiest to eat,” Peterson said, “so if you want your kids to eat fruits and vegetables, put foods like washed apples, carrot sticks, or bananas out on the counter.”

Don’t forget to send snacks with them when they have after-school activities.

Make water a priority.

Kids need to drink plenty of water, too. If the school allows it, get a water bottle that your child can refill throughout the day.

“And make sure the bottles come home once a week to wash them,” Peterson added.

Remind your child about good hygiene.

If it seems like every September your kid comes home with a runny nose, remind them to put their germ-busting skills into practice. That means covering their coughs and sneezes and not sharing utensils or water bottles. Everyone should clean their hands after using the restroom and before eating. They can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to kill germs, but if hands are visibly dirty, soap and water is best.

Get your sports physicals with your child’s annual well check.

Adding a sports physical to your child’s annual well check is so easy that Peterson now considers it an opt-out service. Sports physicals are good for three years, so they don’t have to be done in August or September. Consider starting it with your child’s sixth-grade visit, even if they aren’t planning to play sports.

“I can't tell you how many times in 15 years I've done a well visit for a kid in their sixth-grade year and they say they aren’t doing sports only to get a panicked phone call a few months later, saying they need a sports physical today, or they can’t play football tomorrow,” Peterson said.

You might also save money since it’s part of the well visit and not a separate visit.

Pay attention to how your child is feeling.

It’s normal for kids to come home from school exhausted the first few weeks, Peterson said. Peterson noticed this with his children during their kindergarten years. Many times, they fell asleep at the dinner table. They took this as feedback to modify what after-school activities their kids pursued.

Some kids get excited about all the opportunities and want to get involved in several clubs and activities. Consider helping your child prioritize or add one at a time to make sure they still have time to eat, sleep, and play.

“You might want to wait and see how the first month of school goes before you sign them up for a bunch of activities,” Peterson said. “They’re not going to get much out of their activities if they’re exhausted.”

Watch for signs of anxiety and depression.

School is supposed to challenge your child, but if your child seems to be struggling, they might benefit from talking to a mental health professional. Signs of anxiety or depression can include:

• Crying more than usual.
• Isolating themselves in their room, especially if it gets in the way of daily tasks like eating or hygiene.
• No longer enjoying activities they used to enjoy.
• Refusal to go to school or saying they frequently feel sick.

If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, mention it to their primary care provider who may be able to rule out medical reasons for the changes or refer them to a mental health care provider. Learn more about pediatric mental health services available at M Health Fairview locations.