6 Back-to-School Health Tips for Parents

As the kids return to school after their winter breaks, parents need to be prepared to send their kids back to school. As the last session, seasons may have changed but we are still brimming with excitement about the rest of the school year! Let’s take a look at some much-needed precautions at school which could lead to infections and health tips to help kids stay well the rest of the session.

Here are six tips to help keep your children stay healthy and happy:

Early to Bed and Early to Rise

A good night’s sleep is pivotal for good health. A good night's sleep is important for both parents and there, especially at this busy time of the year. Back-to-school health depends on sound sleep habits and proper time to sleep. Adults need a full 7-8 hours of sleep in order to maintain good health. Children need more sleep than adults, this is mostly according to their age, ideally, a preschooler requires 10 - 13 hours of sleep. School-aged children need 9 - 11 hours of sleep and teens need 8 - 10 hours of sleep.

If your child has trouble falling asleep, there are several corrective measures you can take like limiting their screen time before bed. Studies show viewing electronic devices can interfere with the body’s ability to fall asleep. Making sure that all electronic devices are switched off at least 2 hours before your child’s bedtime. Include bedtime rituals that are relaxing like a warm bath and some cuddle time while you read them a story is a great way to unwind.

Maintain good hygiene

Thorough hand-washing throughout the day can’t be emphasized enough, especially when it's back-to-school time for the kids. Germs are lurking on every surface of the classroom and playground. It’s important to your child’s health to teach them to wash their hands after using the washroom, before lunch, and after recess. Make sure they carry hand sanitizer as well.

Sharing in ‘not’ caring at school for sure, hence emphasizing the importance of not sharing combs, brushes, hats, and hair accessories like headbands. Lice thrive among children and spread like wide fire among school kids. Check your child’s head each day and know the signs which include excessive head scratching and the appearance of grey or white “sesame seed” like particles (lice eggs) at the base of the hair near the root.

Stress Management

Stress isn’t good for anyone, especially for kids, and if not handled with the right tools, kids can suffer weakened immune systems, insomnia, and a whole host of other health issues. Back-to-school time can be daunting, especially if your child is attending a new school. Learn the signs to watch for in your kids when they are harboring stress. Encourage them to share their day with you and take the time to listen always. As tempting as it is for kids to get involved in extracurricular activities like sports, limit them to one activity, overscheduling activities can stress everyone out including parents.

Help your child develop healthy ways to channel their stress. Family activities like going for a walk together as a family, or draw with them, colouring in a coloring book, or playing catch outside in the garden. These are a few ways that can help them relax.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Begin your child’s day with a healthy breakfast for a healthy start. Yogurt, eggs, or a breakfast sandwich along with fruit or dry fruits ensures they start the day on a healthy note. For lunch, avoid fast foods, and also avoid prepackaged snacks and grab-n-go lunches. Even though its time consuming to make your child’s lunch, it’s far healthier for them. Add to their diets fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread or wraps, lean proteins, cheeses, and nuts. Finger foods like baby carrots, apple slices, and other easy-to-grab fruits like grapes, and melon chunks, can all be portioned ahead of time for easy lunch.

Make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks in hand for after school. Snack time is important as kids have worked up an appetite by then, and it’s often a long time between lunchtime and dinnertime. Healthy meals and snacks will go a long way in keeping your kid’s immune system strong and will promote overall health.

Children between the ages of 6 to 17 should get at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity every day to improve their fitness and increase their resistance to illness. According to the Centers for Disease ControlSchool aged children and adolescents should include 180 minutes (one hour, three times a week) of the following types of activities:

• aerobic exercises - It improves their cardiovascular system (heart and lungs)
• Jogging, playing soccer, swimming, and weight-bearing exercises - Strengthens their bones
• Running, jumping rope, climbing stairs, dancing muscle-building exercises - Also strengthens the connective tissues (ligaments and tendons)
• Sit-ups, push-ups, the use of elastic exercise bands, and plenty of stretching - Reduce the chance of injury

Supplement their Diet

As they shift focus back to study mode and set goals for this session, be sure to spare a thought for your nutrition.  After all, to study well needs for them to be healthy as well. Taken together with the points mentioned above, supplements can give their body the support it needs to really thrive. Here are 4 supplements recommend for packing with you this school year.

• Multivitamins - A packed multivitamin will bridge the gap between your diet and nutritional needs. Haliborange Multivitamins Softies are packed with vitamins and minerals essential for the development of kids.
• Omega 3 -Omega 3 are essential fatty acids that your body can’t produce themselves, meaning you need to get them from food or supplements. Omega 3 plays a part in the health of your skin, eyes, heart, immunity, and importantly for school, and your brain. Bioglan Smartikids Brain Formula contains Omega 3, DHA, and APA which is perfect for kids.
• Probiotics - You probably know probiotics support your digestion and help keep your digestive system healthy, but you may be surprised by knowing how important they are for your overall health and immunity. Haliborange Happy Tummies provides 1 billion live bacteria in delicious strawberry flavoured sofites to support the digestion of kids.
• Vitamin D - Vitamin D plays an important role in the health of your brain, bones, mood, energy, and immune system. Bioglan Smartkids Vitamin D contains 10 micrograms of Vitamin D3 in a delicious orange flavoured vegan gummy

Back to school is always an exciting time for kids as well as parents. Always take advice from the health care provider before starting any new supplements. Enjoy the next school session by keeping healthy!