7 Ways to Keep Kids Healthy During the School Year

Get Current on All Vaccines

Vaccines are the best way to prevent the spread of 16 different diseases, and during the pandemic, there was a steep drop in the number of children who received all the vaccines they need on time.

COVID-19 vaccines are now approved for use in children older than 6 months of age. See your child's pediatrician to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine appointment, and make sure your child has all the immunizations they need, including the seasonal flu vaccine. Everyone in your family should get it by the end of October.

Teach Proper Hand Washing

Hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of illness in the classroom and elsewhere. When kids come in contact with germs, they can easily spread those germs—especially if they rub their eyes or scratch their nose.

Then it's only a matter of time until the rest of the family is sick as well. But frequent hand washing can help slow the spread of germs.

Teach kids how to wash their hands properly—and when to do it (after blowing their nose, using the bathroom, and before eating). This helps reduce their risk of getting sick and in turn, from infecting others.

Be sure to assist young children with washing their hands. When hand washing is not possible, hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is the next best way to kill germs that cause COVID-19 and other illnesses, according to the CDC.

Help the Immune System Function Well

There is no proven way to "boost" the immune system, but it is important to keep kids' bodies healthy so their immune systems can work properly. Getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, managing stress, exercising, making time to laugh, and emphasizing hand washing can help reduce your child's risk of getting colds, flu, and other infections.

The most effective way to prevent disease is through vaccination. There is growing interest among parents in giving kids supplements like elderberry, or extra doses of vitamins such as vitamin C, but you should always consult with your child's doctor before giving them supplements of any kind.

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend vitamin supplements for healthy children who eat a varied diet. It's best that they get their vitamins from foods.

Watch for Signs of Anxiety and Stress

Homework, tests, social pressures—kids can face a lot of stressful situations every day. Research shows that stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on kids' health, just like it can on the health of adults. Parents need to know how to spot symptoms of stress and find ways to manage children's anxiety.

Work with your child to identify things in their life that they can control, like what they wear and how they spend their free time. Brainstorm together about what helps them de-stress. For some kids this might mean writing in a journal, while others might enjoy playing a board game or going for walk.

The key is to personalize stress management strategies to each child. What works for one may not work for another. If these self-help strategies aren't working, contact your child's pediatrician for recommendations on ways to address your child's anxiety and stress.

Establish Good Sleep Hygiene

Making sure your children get enough sleep is a crucial part of keeping them healthy. In fact, studies show that missing sleep can affect kids in a number of ways. Lack of sleep can lead to poor concentration, obesity, depression, suicidal ideation, and injuries.

Not only is sleep an important part of a child's physical and emotional health; it also can play a role role in how well they do in school. And research suggests that kids are sleeping less than they did years ago.

A meta-analysis of nearly 700,000 children from 20 different countries found that children's sleep has decreased by approximately 1 hour per night over the past century, with the rate of change being greatest on school days.

Even older kids can benefit from having a set bedtime. Also try to incorporate predictability into their schedules and give reassurance if stress or uncertainty is interfering with sleep.

Provide a Brain-Boosting Breakfast

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day when it comes to students. A balanced breakfast of protein and complex carbohydrates has been established as an important factor for brain function and maintenance of a steady energy level through the day.

According to one study, children who regularly eat breakfast are more likely to consume adequate nutrients and eat less total fat and cholesterol. Likewise, iron, B vitamins and vitamin D are approximately 20% to 60% higher in kids who regularly eat breakfast compared with those who skip it.

Offer Healthy Snacks

Kids are often ravenous after school. But you don't have to sacrifice good nutrition for convenience. Nutritious after-school snacks can be just as quick, easy, and tasty as processed picks.

Snacks are also important because—when combined with healthy meals—they help kids get the nutrients they need. Plus, having small snacks spaced between meals reinforces the idea that kids should eat small meals and eat when they are hungry. This helps them build healthy eating habits.