A Healthy School Year with the Santiago de León Clinic!
The start of the school year is an exciting time for children, but it can also be a transitional period where we must make sure we maintain their health and energy. Back to school can present multiple challenges, from behavioral changes due to changes in routine, accidents at school or unexpected trips to the doctor, so here is a general guide on how to keep your little ones healthy this back to school:
Tips for a healthy routine this back to school.
- Sleep schedules: establishing regular sleep schedules helps children concentrate better in class, strengthen their immune system, mature their nervous system and grow by releasing growth hormone during the night.
- Balanced Eating: A varied and nutritious diet provides the energy needed for school activities. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein. If you have trouble including vegetables in the diet, you can ask for advice from a nutritionist who can provide healthy and fun options for the little ones.
- Regular Physical Activity: Encourage regular exercise, either through sports, outdoor games or outdoor education classes,
outdoor play or physical education classes, is essential for a child’s healthy development. - Maintaining Hydration: making sure children have access to safe drinking water is essential to keep them in excellent general condition and able to continue playing.
- Limit Screen Hours: the new generations have greater control of technology at increasingly younger ages; however, it is important to limit the number of hours a day they can spend in front of the computer or cell phone. It is important to encourage games, reading or crafts that do not include the use of electronic devices.
How to prevent back-to-school illnesses?
It is extremely common for children to get sick at the time of returning to school, for various reasons. These are almost always related to contact between children, such as the common cold and other viral syndromes. In order to prevent them, we recommend you:
- Hand washing: it is important that you emphasize to your children the importance of washing their hands frequently, especially before and after eating, and after using the bathroom.
- Up-to-date vaccination schedule: keeping the vaccination schedule up to date protects your child from possible complications of contagious diseases, limiting their evolution.
- Cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing: teach your children to cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing, this simple action helps prevent the spread of germs.
- Avoid sharing personal belongings: Teach your children the meaning of personal items such as tissues, brushes, cutlery and glasses; this helps prevent the spread of diseases.
Is back to school stressful for children?
The return to school can be a source of stress for children, especially if they change schools or the level of difficulty of their studies. Some tips to make it easier for them to adapt to the new normality are:
- Foster a warm and understanding family environment to help them face any situation.
- Establish open communication channels that allow them to communicate their feelings and concerns, this helps them feel more secure.
- Provide them with routines at home that give them stability and clear limits.
What are the most common back-to-school emergencies?
In the back to school children are more prone to accidents, that is why visits to the emergency area are extremely common. Especially in the area of traumatology and orthopedics, it is important to differentiate between emergencies and urgencies; both require evaluation by a specialist, but the difference lies in the speed in which the pathology must be attended.
Emergencies are medical conditions that require prompt attention, but not immediately, are not imminently life threatening and may worsen if not treated in time. A situation that could occur in the return to school, is the fall of the child and subsequent appearance of pain in the ankle when walking, accompanied by increased volume and color changes in the affected area. This could be a “sprain”, which is not directly life threatening, but it is important to be evaluated by a specialist.
Another case would be if, after the fall, deformity is generated in the affected limb.
Accompanied by inability to mobilize, with or without open wound. In this case of probable “fracture”, the attention should be in the shortest possible time.
Remember that prevention and health care of children is a priority for Clínica Santiago de León, and by working together, we can create a favorable environment for their growth. In this back to school we support you in any eventuality. We have specialized medical consultation in Caracas, such as pediatrics, where you can complete the vaccination schedule if necessary; traumatology supported by the diagnostic imaging service; clinical nutrition, psychology and clinical laboratory.
Schedule your appointment today to plan a healthy back to school!
Schedule your appointment today:
+58 4122297781
Hola@csleon.com
0212.308.1900 Op 2