Back-To-School Health Experts From Packard Children's Hospital

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 31 Aug 2009 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Pediatric and adolescent health and safety experts say it's no surprise that starting or returning to school creates a backpack full of concerns for kids and their parents. It's a major time of adjustment. That's why the experts at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford have made themselves available for comment on these and other back-to-school health topics.

Prevent and treat H1N1 influenza…and talk to your kids

The H1N1 flu is on a lot of families' minds. In a new video , Yvonne Maldonado, MD, chief of infectious disease, has advice for families about how to handle this threat. "While most cases of H1N1 flu have been mild, parents should call their health-care provider if they're worried about flu symptoms such as fever, coughing, sneezing, vomiting and diarrhea," Maldonado said. Additionally, Maldonado advised that kids and adults with flu symptoms should not go to school or work and pregnant women should be vigilant about avoiding flu exposure while being certain to report any symptoms to their physicians. Frequent hand-washing and other common-sense basics are still important, too. In a related video, Sharon Williams, PhD, director of outpatient services in child and adolescent psychiatry, offers these tips for talking to your kids about the flu.

Healthy eating in a fast-food world

Julie Matel, MS, dietician and nutritionist at Packard Children's, suggests recruiting young kids for lunchbox duty. "Involving kids in making their lunch may help lunches get eaten," said Matel, who suggests preparing the night before to reduce morning craziness. "Parents have to be creative, too," she said. "Nutritious food can be made to sound like fun; for example, try making things like 'ants on a log,' which is a celery stick covered with peanut butter and raisins."

Lunchtime peer pressure

"For older kids, lunch is a very social time with a lot of peer pressure," said Lisa Chamberlain, MD, MPH, and director of advocacy at the hospital's Center for Healthy Weight. "That means that taking a healthy lunch to school may be a bit uncool for some." So what's a parent to do if their child's a charter member of our fast-food nation? Chamberlain offered two tips. "First, families need to discuss how kids spend discretionary money at school. Too many times they'll choose to spend it in vending machines. If this happens, try to encourage healthier choices such as water or yogurt," advised Chamberlain. "Second, if fast-food is the only option, parents should talk about creative ways to make that experience less detrimental. For instance, kids can keep portion sizes in mind by not choosing to supersize their meal. Plus, they can choose lower-fat and less harmful menu items."

Sleep without a peep

As a father of two school-age children, Rafael Pelayo, MD, pediatric sleep expert, has both a personal and professional interest in helping kids get a good night's sleep. "A bedtime routine is as important for a 2-year-old as it is for a 12-year-old or a 35-year-old. This means having two to three relaxing activities to help you wind down before falling asleep." The best? "A National Sleep Foundation poll found that children who read just prior to bed or were read to slept better and longer," said Pelayo, who has worked with the Foundation on many of its sleep improvement initiatives.

Don't forget exercise

Some schools don't have PE classes and not every kid is on a school sports team. "Parents can incorporate exercise in other ways," said Dana Weintraub, MD, a clinical instructor at Packard Children's. "For instance, instead of having children take the school bus, try starting a 'walking school bus' parents or other adults walk groups of children to school together." Weintraub also said parents should be proactive. "Contact your child's school, school district or health care provider to find out about after school programs that include physical activity," Weintraub said, adding that "Many also offer additional benefits such as academic assistance."

Source
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital

• Additional
• References
• Citations