SUMMER is almost over. Summer camps are done, children are returning home from vacation at grandma’s or cousin’s house — free paper bun, and it’s time to get ready for back-to-school!

Whether your child is about to start a new school or a new grade, it’s important to instil healthy habits. In the words of my very good friend, “Germs still keeping”.

Germs are everywhere. There are germs on every single surface we come in contact with, including our skin. And yes, the COVID-19 virus is still going around. If we teach our children about germs and how we can prevent the spread of germs, we can avoid many infections and trips to the doctor and hospital.

Here are some tips for you and your child as they head back-to-school.

*Get a check-up before school to identify any potential health concerns early

*If your child has a chronic illness like asthma, sickle cell or a heart condition, make sure you have all the necessary medications he/she needs

*Inform your child’s (new) teacher about any health conditions and how to manage them; for example, what to do in situation like an asthma attack or seizure

*If your child needs to carry medications to school (for example, asthma pumps), teach them where to find the medications in their school bag and how to use them (of course, this is age appropriate).

*Inform the school if your child has any food allergies and teach your child about food allergies, and why they should NOT eat from other students. A peanut butter sandwich from an unknowing schoolmate could be very dangerous to a child with peanut allergies.

*Especially for preschool age group (two to five years), remember it is quite normal for children to get sick every three to four weeks

*Teach and encourage good hand hygiene. Wash hands frequently, use hand sanitisers, and wash hands especially if they are visibly dirty.

*Teach and encourage children how to cough into their elbow and not their hands, how to blow their nose or sneeze into a tissue which should be disposed right away followed by immediate hand washing. If you sneeze or cough into a rag, anything that touches that rag (hands, books, contents of their bag) are contaminated with germs.

*Keep kids out of school if sick especially if the illness is contagious — fever, coughing, runny nose, vomiting or diarrhoea. Think bodily fluids that can disseminate/spread easily

*If your child has a fever, keep out of school until fever-free for at least 24 hours

*Make sure children are up to date with their vaccines. Remember, the COVID vaccine is available for children 12 and older. If your child is immunocompromised (very prone to getting sick easily based on an underlying health condition), consider getting vaccines like the pneumoccal vaccine, chicken pox and rotavirus vaccine. Ask your doctor about these non-government issued vaccines.

*Keep in mind seasonal illnesses like hand foot and mouth disease, chicken pox, running belly. Know what symptoms to look for, and how to prevent these illnesses. Right now, dengue fever is on the rise, so protect your little ones with mosquito repellents at home and school.

*Consider a “worm out”. Deworming is safe, easy and inexpensive. “Worm medicine” gets rid of possible parasites in the intestines that may potentially cause serious health issues like anaemia and blockage in the intestines. Deworming is usually done one to two times a year.

In addition, schools usually require a “medical” to be done before the start of a new school year. The school usually provides a medical form for you to carry to your doctor to have completed. If you haven’t already done this, here is what to expect.

There may be a section for you, the parent, to fill out — name, address, date of birth, etc. There is also a section to fill out child’s immunisations.

Your child’s weight, height, vitals and blood pressure will be done. The doctor will examine your child from head to toe, including vision test, hearing evaluation, checking the skin, ears, listening to the chest (heart and lungs) and tummy with a stethoscope and checking all limbs (arms and legs). Some medicals require a urine test to look for blood, sugar and protein. There is also a section to document how much physical activity your child can tolerate (normal, as tolerated or limited).

Based on the information provided and the examination findings, the doctor will establish if your child is well, if he/she needs any further tests to be done (and will write requests for those), write a prescription if needed, or refer your child to see a specialist if they see fit.

Happy back-to-school!

Dr Tal’s Tidbits

Before heading back-to-school, make sure your child gets a medical/check up that may pick up any health concerns to ensure a healthy, safe school term.

Dr Taleya Girvan has over a decade’s experience treating children at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, working in the Accident and Emergency Department and Paediatric Cardiology Department. Her goal is to use the knowledge she has gained to improve the lives of patients by increasing knowledge about the health-care system in Jamaica. Dr Tal’s Tidbits is a series in which she speaks to patients and caregivers, providing practical advice that will improve health care for the general population. E-mail: dr.talstidbits@gmail.com IG @dr.tals_tidbits.