Whats New
Back to School Time
Hello from TLC Pediatrics! We hope our TLC Family is having a wonderful summer. We would like to share some back-to-school tips from Dr. Babber.
Well Child Check Ups
All children should have a well child exam once a year. At this visit we review growth and development, address any concerns and administer recommended vaccines. Hearing and vision screenings, recommended laboratory testing and sports physicals are also part of the well child visit. School aged children typically receive vaccines at ages 4, 11, 12 and 16. CDC vaccination schedule: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html. COVID 19 and Seasonal FLU vaccines are also recommended.
COVID 19 vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#children.
Seasonal FLU vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/flu.html.
Backpacks
All backpacks should have two straps and should not weigh more than 10-20% of your child’s weight. Pack the heaviest items closest to your child’s back. Adjust the straps so the backpack reaches your child’s waist. Remove unneeded items weekly to reduce weight.
Screen Time
Stop use of devices and screens 1 hour before bedtime. Children should not sleep with devices such as smartphones. Monitor device content for safety. Set agreed upon limits on hours of screen time per day and types of media used. See https://www.healthychildren.org/English/fmp/Pages/MediaPlan.aspx to make a personalized Family Media Use Plan.
Eating During School
Schedule time for your child to eat breakfast in the morning. Eating breakfast improves energy, performance and focus for kids and teens. Protein items (egg, meats, protein pancakes, high protein muffins, yogurt etc) will help to stay full longer.
Review school lunch menus ahead of time and plan to bring or buy lunch. Weekly menu planning can be very helpful so that you and your child knows what to expect for lunch and snacks.
If your child has food allergies be sure the school is aware and an allergy plan in place in case of accidental exposure. EpiPen prescriptions should be up to date and not expired. A signed medical form may be required.
Sleep
Children thrive on schedule and routine. It is important your child is getting enough sleep to be successful at school. This can be challenging for teenagers with after school activities in addition to academic workloads. If your child has been staying up during the summer, start by moving up bedtime by 15-30 min each night to reach the desired bedtime. Nine or 10 hours per night is a good, but it depends on the child. Here is a guide from the CDC for hours of sleep per night by age: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html
Dental and Vision
Summer is a great time for yearly dental and eye examinations.
As always, Dr. Babber and Dr. Kaplan are available for any questions or concerns. We hope you and your families have a great start to the school year and enjoy the rest of summer!
References:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Breakfast-for-Learning.aspx
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*Important changes to AAP recommendations for car safety seats can be viewed at healthykids.org* Please feel free to call our office if you have any questions. Remember your children are safest in the back seat and always wearing the approved recommended safety restraint. Additionally infants are safest rear-facing until age 2 years.
Immunization News: Our practice follows the CDC recommended vaccine schedule, updates to this schedule including new vaccine information and booster dose changes can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent-shell.html
