M A G A Z I N E - Florida Wise

HealthWise
Back to
School
By Dr. Lee
Edelstein
As the lazy days
of summer wind
down it’s time to
shop for school supplies, buy another
pair of new sneakers, and get back into
the routine of school. With a new
school year comes new teachers, new
friends, and new threats to our children’s
health and safety. So, to keep them safe
and healthy this upcoming school year,
here are a few tips to make this year the
best ever.
Kids get sick. Colds, coughs, tummy
bugs, and flu’s are going to happen
especially in the close quarters of a
classroom In general the younger the
child, the more frequently illnesses
occur. Now, while we can’t prevent our
kids from ever getting sick we can
decrease the frequency of these common
bugs with a few simple techniques. The
single most important thing we can do to
prevent the spread of germs is to wash
our hands. Encourage your child to
wash his hands at home and at school,
before and after meals, after using the
restroom, and after playing outside.
Antibacterial hand sanitizers are also
good to keep in your purse, the car, and
your child’s book bag. Encourage your
children not to share cups or straws with
their friends, and do not send them to
school with a fever, a red eye, an
uncontrollable cough, or a runny nose
with colored discharge (these are usually
due to viral infections which should self
resolve, but may be due to a bacterial
infection). Check with your child’s school
for their specific guidelines, or call your
child’s pediatrician for more details.
With the start of school, a little bit
of freedom and independence will be
bestowed upon your child. He may be
allowed to ride his bike to school, or
wait at the bus stop without adult
supervision. Now is a good time to
establish safety rules to help prevent
injuries. If your child rides his bike,
rollerblades, or skateboards he must
wear a helmet…period! Approximately
85% of brain injuries can be prevented