August 2003
BACK TO SCHOOL MEDTIPS
Indiana University School of Medicine
Your child is ready for kindergarten. Are you? Be
enthusiastic about sending your child off to school because your excitement
and confidence will rub off, says Stephen Bogdewic, Ph.D., professor and
vice-chair of family medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
You could introduce your child to the teacher and arrange a play-date
with future classmates beforehand. On the first day, set aside extra time
for chatting, but don’t prolong the good-bye. If the child whines
or clings, staying will only make separating harder for both of you.
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Teens struggle with defining independence. Physicians are seeing
more eating disorders among teenage girls, including binging and starving.
“Habits, both good and bad, developed during the teen years often
are lifelong habits,” says Ann Zerr, M.D., associate professor of
clinical medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine. “If
you starve yourself and have amenorrhea (loss of menstruation), you are
doing irreparable harm to your body,” she says. “And if you
begin smoking as a teen, the likelihood that you will continue smoking
is greater than if you began smoking at a later age.”
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Take the load off your child’s back. Teens should not carry
more than 20 pounds and should use both straps of their backpacks to evenly
distribute weight on their backs, says Richard Kiovsky, M.D., clinical
associate professor of family medicine at the Indiana University School
of Medicine. The average student’s backpack weighs between 15 and
35 pounds, too heavy for a child with underdeveloped shoulders and back
muscles. “No one really knows if 10 to 15 years down the road this
will really make a difference on their spines,” says Dr. Kiovsky.
Kids should only carry a few books at a time and should use lockers to
store additional books. Wheeled backpacks are an excellent alternative
for students who must transport a ton of books.
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Dormitories may house not just your teen, but also meningitis. If your child is off to college and will be living in a dorm, tell him or her to get a meningitis vaccine, says Karen Roos, M.D., professor of neurology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Teens living in close proximity, especially those with lowered immunity due to insufficient sleep and an unbalanced diet are at high risk of getting this disease, which can result in permanent brain damage and can be fatal. The vaccine is safe and effective.--------------------------------
Is it lunch time yet? Pack safety and health into your child's school lunch. Take extra safety measures while packing your child's lunch because it will sit unrefrigerated for several hours, says Sue Brady, D.M.Sc., R.D., professor of nutrition and dietetics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Avoid foods that require refrigeration and use an insulated lunch bag. Pack a variety of foods from different food groups like meat or meat substitutes, fruits, vegetables and grains. Pack milk in an unbreakable thermos. Choose foods your child likes and in portions that match your child’s appetite. Don’t forget to wash fruits and vegetables before packing, and wash and dry all reusable containers. Dr. Brady along with Karyl Rickard, Ph.D., R.D., and Patricia Keener, M.D., are the authors of the nutrition section of Caring for Kids, a family guide on child health and development.--------------------------------
Bye, bye, bully! Tell your child that bullying is not okay whether your child is the victim, bully or a bystander, says Stephen Bogdewic, Ph.D., professor and vice-chair of family medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine. If your child is the victim, suggest not fighting back. Instead, work out ways to stay safe and tell your child to ask a trusted adult like a teacher or counselor for help. If your child is acting like a bully, explain that bullying is not acceptable and that it hurts other children. Show your child how to relate to others without teasing, threatening or attacking. Tell your child not to cheer on or quietly encourage bullying.--------------------------------
Unusually messy papers, careless errors and disorganized behaviors compared to those of other children of the same age are often signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But, these behaviors also may indicate other problems, says William Kronenberger, Ph.D., associate professor of clinical psychology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Evaluation by a professional is necessary to diagnose the nature of the problem. If a teacher believes that your child frequently is fidgety, interrupts or often breaks rules because of impulsive behavior rather than intentional disobedience, you may want to consult with a child psychologist or psychiatrist.--------------------------------
If your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder make a special effort to make the first day of school an organized and rewarding experience, says William Kronenberger, Ph.D., associate professor of clinical psychology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. About a week before school starts, begin a daily routine that resembles the school year, including earlier bedtime and earlier waking time. Develop and practice an organized morning routine. If your child is attending a new school, visit the school ahead of time. Set clear rules, goals, schedules and consequences about school achievement, behavior, and homework. Give your child frequent feedback including praise, guidance and rewards to elicit better behavior and school performance.--------------------------------
Like ice cream, learning disabilities come in all varieties. Reading, writing, mathematics, listening, speaking and thinking are all areas in which a child can be learning disabled, says Steven M. Koch, Ph.D., school psychologist at the Riley Child Development Center at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Doing poorly in some subjects while doing well in others; being easily distracted while doing school work; having difficulty reading words or understanding written material; not following directions, or having problems breaking down tasks into smaller manageable pieces may be indicators of an undiagnosed learning disability.--------------------------------
Sleepy heads, it’s time for school! About two weeks before
school starts, gradually adjust your child’s sleeping schedule until
the bedtime and waking times coincide with the school year schedule, says
Deborah Givan, M.D., professor of clinical pediatrics at the Indiana University
School of Medicine. Begin waking your child about 30 minutes earlier each
day and make bedtime earlier by 15 or 20 minutes. Even though children
can function with less than the required amount of sleep, they cannot
function as well, so ensure that elementary age children get about 10
hours of sleep per night and junior and senior high school students spend
about nine hours in the sack.
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