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| from
the City Health Officer, Barbe Pyka |
| Soon it will be getting back to the hustle and bustle of a school schedule.
This not only means school shopping for notebooks, book bags and new clothes,
but should also include some very important health reminders.Public health
officials remind parents to add health and safety lessons to the list of things
to do before the 2007-2008 school year starts.
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| Health and Immunizations |
A healthy school year begins with making sure your child’s immunizations are
up-to-date. Childhood immunization is one of the easiest and most important
things we can do to make sure our children grow up healthy and free from the
effects of serious, vaccine-preventable diseases.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to keep track of each immunization visit,
and to ask their health care provider about how to access their child’s
immunization records through the Wisconsin Immunization Registry. State Health
officials stress that immunizations are very safe thanks to medical research
and ongoing review by doctors and researchers. Vaccinations are not only for
children entering grades K-12, but also recommended for college students,
particularly those freshmen living in dorms. These students should consider
vaccination to protect against meningitis and hepatitis B.
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| Physical Exams |
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Before school begins, it is also a good idea to consider having your child see
your health care provider for a physical health check-up.Even if you child is
up-to-date on immunizations, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that
your school-age child have a complete history and physical exam, including
weight, blood pressure, hearing and vision screening, and prevention counseling
at least every two years, The Wisconsin’s Interscholastic Athlethetics
Association (WIAA) has a requirement for a sports physical for children who
want to participate in school sports.
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| Healthy Living |
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Health eating, being active, and getting enough sleep go hand in hand with good
learning. Children who eat healthy foods, have regular meals, including
breakfast, and are active at least 60 minutes each day are more likely to be
successful in school. Pack meals that are easy to prepare, healthy, and fun to
eat.
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| Getting to School Safely |
Whether young people are walking or biking to school, it is important to get
there safely.Make sure your child’s walk to school is a safe route with
well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection. Because children are
impulsive and tend to be less cautious around traffic, carefully consider
whether your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
If your child will be biking to school, they should:
**ALWAYS wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long
the ride
**Ride on the right side of the road in the same direction as traffic
**Use appropriate hand signals
**Pay attention to traffic and stop signs
**Wear bright color clothing so drivers see them.
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| Bus Safety |
If taking a bus to school, teach and help your child learn safety measures.
They should never walk behind the bus, and if they must cross the street, they
should walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least
five giant steps (10ft) ahead of the bus before crossing.
Be sure that the bus driver can see them, and they can see the bus driver.
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| Backpacks |
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While thinking about how your children will be carrying their school supplies
and books to and from school, remember to consider the limits of backpacks,
which are often heavy to use. To prevent back pain, choose a backpack with
wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. The backpack should never
weigh more than 10 to 20% of the child’s total body weight. Have your
child always use both straps as slinging a backpack over one should can strain
muscles and may increase curvature of the spine.
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| Going back to school can be an exciting and fun time. Preparing for the school
year can help your student make the most of their educational experience.
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| Make it a great day & a healthy, safe one! |