- Pediatricians say adjusting sleep, meals and screen time before school starts can ease kids back into routine
- Parents should adjust sleep schedules gradually over the few weeks leading up to school
- Emergency physicians also recommend that parents take certain precautions to avoid injuries and emergency room visits
While schools in some parts of Michigan already welcomed back students, many are counting down the days. For parents with kids still on summer break, experts say preparing now can reduce stress when class resumes.
Dr. Tiffany Binno, pediatrician with Henry Ford Health in Detroit, said one of the best ways parents can help is by easing children back into their school-year routines early.
“I tell a lot of parents just to slowly transition,” Binno told Bridge Michigan. “So, making their bedtime a little bit earlier each night, adjusting by like a half hour to an hour, (can help) optimize how many sleep hours they’re getting.”
Generally, it is recommended that children under the age of 5 get 10-14 hours of sleep, including naps. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 should get between 9-12 hours of sleep, and teenagers should get between 8-10 hours.
Binno also suggested that parents adjust meal times to the times that their children would be eating during the school day.
So long, summer screen time
Sleeping and eating aren’t the only routines that matter.
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Dr. Asha Shajahan, a primary care physician at Corewell Health in Novi, stressed the importance of limiting screen time to prepare students for the school year.
“A lot of kids have more screen time in the summer months. They’re allowed to watch movies, watch TV, play video games and really cutting that down during the school year is important,” she said.
“We want to make sure that … when they get out of school … they have enough time to have physical activity and engage their minds in more interactive activities.”
A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association linked excessive screen time to rising myopia — or nearsightedness — in kids.
Each hour a day of screen time increases the risk of children developing myopia by 20%, according to researchers, who suggest “minimizing overall near-work activities while promoting increased outdoor time” to mitigate the risk.
Mental health check
The weeks before school begins are also an important time to check on children’s mental health, according to experts. Worries about new teachers, unfamiliar classmates or tougher coursework are common and pediatricians say parents can help by creating space for open, reassuring conversations.
“A lot of schools offer the opportunity to meet teachers before school,” said Dr. Tiffany Munzer, pediatric behavioral specialist at the CS Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan
“Families can take their kids to the playground that they’re going to be playing at in school if it’s an open playground, just to familiarize themselves with what the lay of the land is.”
Dr. Munzer said parents should have a conversation with their children about something they might be looking forward to and reaffirm their feelings.
Other safety tips
Back-to-school season can also be a busy time for emergency rooms treating kids with injuries that could be avoided.
A few precautions go a long way toward preventing common injuries and making sure children have a safe and healthy start to the school year,” said Alison Haddock, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians in a press statement.
Haddock recommends the following safety tips:
- Teach kids safe walking routes, use of crosswalks, and set clear pick-up spots. Make sure cyclists and scooter riders wear helmets. Review bus stop safety and remind teen drivers to avoid distractions and wear seat belts.
- Ensure kids have the right safety gear for sports, stay hydrated, warm up before activity and carry backpacks that aren’t too heavy.
- Back-to-school is a good time for flu shots and other recommended vaccinations to protect students, families and teachers.
This article first appeared on Bridge Michigan and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.