Tips to keep your kids healthy this school year

Back to school time is right around the corner. In addition to buying school supplies and new clothes, you also may be thinking about how you can keep your children healthy this school year as part of your preparations. There are a few simple things you can do to get them ready for a safe and healthy school year. Before you send your children back to school, check with their doctor to make sure that they are up to date with their vaccines. Generally speaking, children going into kindergarten and sixth grade are required to bring in proof of an updated vaccination record, but it is a good idea to check with your doctor even if your children aren’t going into one of these two grades. The basics go a long way as well. Teaching your children good hygiene shouldn’t be overlooked. Make sure they know to wash their hands with soap and water, that they shouldn’t share drinks with their friends, and that they need to cover their coughs and sneezes, preferably with their elbows and not their hands. After a long summer break, many children get off their regular routine. Now is the time to help your kids get back into a regular routine and make sure that they get enough sleep. If your children do become sick, you should keep them home. Not only will the rest help them heal, it will prevent the illness from spreading to other children at school. If you have any concerns or you think your children require medication, you should take them to see the doctor right away. If a child has a fever greater than 100.4 degrees, he or she should stay home until the fever has subsided for 24 hours. A child should also stay home if they are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea or when the child is too ill to participate in school activities. For certain viral or bacterial infections that are considered highly contagious such as pink eye, he or she needs to stay home. In most cases, he or she will need 24 hours of antibiotics and then they can return to school. If there is a question about if your child should stay home and for how long, you should contact your doctor Another consideration this school year is getting your children flu shots. Flu shot are especially beneficial for children aged 6-23 months and children over 2 with chronic medical conditions such as respiratory or cardiac disease or those with compromised immune systems, because their risk of significant flu-related illness is far worse than possible side effects from the flu shot. Also, it is recommended that all close contacts of infants under the age of 6 months receive the immunization, as these children are too young to receive the vaccine themselves. You should ask your doctor whether or not your children are good candidates for flu shots first and discuss with them side effects and risks of the flu shot. If you have any questions about how to keep your children healthy this school year, please talk to their doctor. Need a physician? Mercy Health Physicians has over 95 caring providers in 20 locations throughout Lorain County surrounding communities. To make an appointment with a doctor near you, call 1-877-580-1695.