Coming out of a pandemic, many students are already back in school or will be back in the upcoming school year. Here are 8 ways to keep your kids healthier at school.
Do Timely Vaccinations
Vaccinations have been protecting humanity from various diseases for over a hundred years. There is a list of must-have immunizations that should be done at a certain age. However, once a year, it is recommended to vaccinate children from the flu to make sure they are protected from negative after-effects that often come with this illness. Consult your pediatrician to check whether your child needs any vaccinations, as well as learn about some precautions, if any.
Introduce a Proper Hand-Washing Routine
Unwashed hands are the main source of spreading dangerous germs in the classroom. Being in the want-to-explore-the-world age, kids like touching, twisting and dissembling things and then rubbing their eyes and lips and biting their nails.
Introducing a proper hand-washing routine at home and teaching children healthy hand-washing habits can protect kids from getting sick and support their immune system. It is important to explain that hands should be regularly and thoroughly washed with soap and running water, especially after using the bathroom and before eating.
Teach Kids Smartphone-Use Hygiene
Smartphones are both a blessing and a curse of the modern digital age. On one hand, smartphones help parents stay in touch with their kids and know they are safe. On the other hand, they distract children from their responsibilities and can accumulate tons of germs.
Smartphone-use hygiene is not yet an officially-established routine. However, parents should encourage their kids to keep their phones clean and germ-free. It wouldn’t hurt to disinfect them with alcohol or antiseptic at both sides every now and then, as well as keep them in special cases to avoid contact with various surfaces.
Maintain Strong Immunity
Polluted air, artificial food, unbalanced diet, stress, and many other factors make even the adult body vulnerable to diseases, let alone a growing body of a child. Therefore, it is crucial to adequately support your kid’s immunity, especially if you live in a region where the weather is cold and gloomy during the autumn and winter seasons.
Check with your pediatrician if your kid needs an additional supply of vitamins and minerals. The doctor may prescribe some medications, a
vitamin complex, or adjust the child’s diet
to boost the immune system. However, make sure that you don’t make such decisions without proper examinations, tests, and pediatrician’s recommendations.
Ensure Regular Sound Sleep
Statistically, modern school students sleep almost twice less than a few decades ago. Complicated curricula, the importance of online presence, as well as enormous competition often makes them stay awake at night at the expense of their sound sleep.
Parents should explain to their children the value of
regular normal sleeping both for their health and academic progress, as well as provide conditions to make it possible. Be open for conversation; perhaps, your kids want your help to finish school assignments before bed, or it’s time to replace their old mattress with a better one. Make sure that you encourage sleep-healthy decisions and do your best to prevent sleep deprivation.
Provide Healthy and Nutritious Breakfast
The importance of a
balanced and nutritious breakfast has been proven by many studies. They showed that breakfast consisting of proteins and complex carbs facilitates brain activity, ensures cooperative behavior and reasonable decision-making, as well as keeps energized and upbeat during the day.
According to the researchers from the University of Leeds, children who never skip breakfast are more likely to avoid sugar and fat-rich foods compared to students who regularly refuse from eating in the morning. They also show better levels of micronutrients and have stronger immunity.
However, not just what you eat but also how you eat matters. Children who are used to gulping the food in the morning develop digestive system conditions more often. Therefore, parents should make sure that in the morning, children don’t have to rush with eating their meal and can carefully chew every piece of food.
Incorporate Healthy Snacks
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Having snacks between meals helps children to develop healthy eating habits and avoid overeating during the main course. One caveat though: munchies should be good for health too.
Incorporating such snacks as fruit and nuts, cutting in small slices of veggies, whole-grain sugar-free cookies, or smoothies can help children cope with after-school hunger, as well as get used to healthier treats.
Foster Back and Spine Health
According to
Pro-papers health blogger Amy McGonagle, parents shouldn’t forget about healthy back habits too. Encourage straight-backed sitting, choose ergonomic spine-friendly backpacks, and buy a memory foam mattress and pillow.
By introducing basic health and hygiene habits at an early age, parents can protect their children especially in classrooms, as well as help them grow into smarter and more responsible adults.