The start of a new school year is always an exciting yet stressful time for both parents and their children as they go back to school. You’ll want to do everything you can to help your child settle, have fun, and succeed at school, and one area that you’ll need to consider is their health.
You don’t want your child to fall ill and fall behind, so it’s important that you consider their health and well-being. This is particularly important in fall and winter when airborne illnesses (including COVID-19) can run rampant in schools. So, what can you do to keep your kids healthy as they return to school? Keep reading to find out.
Table of Contents
Teach Them Proper Hand Washing & Hygiene
First, you need to teach your children how to wash their hands properly and basic hygiene. In addition to teaching them to wash their hands properly, you should teach them about when they should be washing their hands (before eating, after using the bathroom, and after coughing/sneezing).
Make Sure They Lead A Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle will help to strengthen your child’s immune system and improve their overall health and well-being. This means that they should be getting enough exercise each week, eating a healthy and balanced diet, and getting enough sleep. Supplements like vitamin D and C can also boost their immunity, which could be helpful in fall and winter.
Make Sure They’re Vaccinated
Vaccinations are key for protecting against various illnesses, so you’ll want to make sure that your child’s vaccinations are all up to date. Keep in mind that the chickenpox vaccine isn’t part of the routine schedule, so you may want to look into booking a private chickenpox vaccine.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious virus that spreads through contact with an infected person or by touching something with the virus, so it can very quickly spread through schools. It can cause an itchy rash, which can cause a tremendous amount of discomfort and generally takes a week or two to clear up, so it’s certainly something that you want to avoid.
Keep Them Home When They’re Sick
Following this, it’s important to keep your child at home when they’re sick. Attitudes toward going to work and school when sick have changed since COVID-19, so you’ll want to be responsible and keep your child at home if they’re ill (especially if it’s COVID-19). This can help to prevent the spread of infectious illnesses, but it’s also important so your child can rest and recover.
Communicate With School & Follow Guidelines
Finally, you need to maintain close communication with the school (especially with COVID-19 cases rising). If the school decides to implement any measures, such as mask-wearing and/or social distancing, then you need to make sure that your child understands what’s expected and the importance of following the guidelines.
You’ll want your child to stay happy and healthy as they return to school, and the advice in this post will hopefully help them to avoid any illnesses.
