Back-to-School Wellness Starts with Back-to-Basics

Remember when you first brought your child home? Every sniffle, cough, bruise, scrape, aversion to eating, unusual noise, odd mark or strange expression spurred one reaction: “Do you think we should call the doctor?” This heightened attention early on helped determine what signs and symptoms are normal for your child—or a normal part of childhood in general—as well as what warranted mild to high levels of concern and care.

As a child grows and becomes more resilient and resistant, it’s normal for parents to ease up on the “hypervigilance.” But during back-to-school time, it’s important to return to the basic tools of early parenting. Pay attention to signs and symptoms and assess potential injuries and illnesses—and if necessary, seek appropriate medical treatment. It’s also beneficial to be aware of the health challenges presented by returning to school and to be proactive in overcoming them.

The average school desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
This is one (very big!) reason that families see an uptick in colds and viral infections early in the school year. But desktops are only the beginning. After a summer of being outdoors, kids return to smaller, enclosed spaces. They share everything from scissors to gym equipment to door handles—and won’t think twice before having a friend “try a bite of my lunch.” Consequently, school days can quickly escalate into sick days. Look for symptoms of these common back-to-school problems stemming from sharing and exposure:

• Cold—runny/congested nose, sneezing, sore throat, mild fever.
• Flu—high fever, chills, fatigue, cough, body aches, headache.
• COVID—fever or chills, cough, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, and muscle or body aches.
• Stomach bug—nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever.
• Strep throat—severely sore throat, painful swallowing, fever, swollen tonsils.
• Pink eye—red/pink eye(s) that burn or itch, watery-to-thick discharge.
• Head lice—itchy scalp.
• Mononucleosis—fatigue, fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, body aches.
• Hand, foot, and mouth disease—fever, ulcers inside the mouth, blisters on hands or feet.

Other issues to watch out for:

• Allergies or asthma flare-ups—often caused by seasonal pollen, dust mites, or mold.
• Eczema and skin allergies—stemming from everything from stress to exposure to different soaps, lab materials, etc.
• Dehydration or nutrition imbalance—parents can’t be watching all the time!
• Lack of sleep—compromises the immune system and can be caused by adjusting to new schedules, test anxiety, classroom stress and more.

And don’t forget injuries! Common injuries come from sports, playground and hallway falls, getting on/off the bus, biking to school and “backpack overload.” Any injury—from bruises and the soreness of strains to the pain of sprains and fractures—should be properly assessed and cared for.

Lastly, beware that something seemingly minor may be a larger concern “in disguise.” Many illnesses and injuries have similar symptoms. For example, a tired child may not be eating well. Or they may have the flu or mono, or they simply didn’t sleep at that back-to-school slumber party. A child’s headache may come from dehydration, sinus congestion, or a fall and concussion. 

Schedule that physical and get them vaccinated.
Before your child goes back to school, have your primary care physician give them an annual physical. Garnet Health Doctors family medicine providers perform hundreds of physicals in late summer to help make sure children are in the best possible condition for their return to school. In addition to a general health check, physicals can uncover signs of stress or emotional concerns; give the “all clear” for sports; and provide forms if your child needs to have medication, an inhaler or an EpiPen at school.

Vaccinations are also a key part of physicals and ensure children are up to date for school requirements and meet CDC guidelines for their age.

A new year of learning and socializing makes returning to school wonderful and exciting. As parents, you can help ensure it’s also a healthy and safe time for your child by being aware of common illnesses and injuries that come with school activities. Monitor your child’s symptoms, keep them home when they are sick, ensure they are up to date on their vaccinations and connect with your primary care physician when symptoms fall outside of what’s normal for your child.

Garnet Health Doctors supports a range of primary care, urgent care and specialty services. To learn more or find a provider, visit garnethealth.org/doctors.