Strong immunity and general health are on people’s minds now more than ever, including growing attentiveness around school students staying well.
It’s important for parents to ensure their child is on a healthy track to fight against any germs that come their way throughout the school year.
From head lice to eating right and staying active, we look at some of the top tips for guiding kids with health advice aimed at helping them to survive the school year.
Pharmacy Alliance Regional Manager and mother Brianne Shephard sheds light on some of the anxieties over kids’ health at back-to-school time.
“The kidlets have had a fun-filled summer, filled with hot days, sunburn and overindulging in treats, [which] can leave them feeling a little run down and perhaps dreading the return to routine,” she said.
“It’s important we take the time to prepare our children for the year ahead, as well as refill their tanks ready for their brains to absorb another school year of learning.”
Tips and tricks
Ms Shephard says that while she’s no expert, she has picked up a range of helpful tips aimed at helping strengthen the whole family’s immunities.
“I find as a working mum that routine and all-round wellness are super important to ensure the whole family pushes through the school year,” she said.
“Everyone needs a weekly roster to know who has dance or soccer, and when, but also importantly, everyone [should be] sitting down for well-balanced meals where possible and spending quality time together as a family.”
She continues by highlighting that just because summer holidays are over, it doesn’t mean the fun has to stop, and nor should it, to maintain a happy and healthy active lifestyle.
“Make the most of the warmer weather by getting outside, going for a bike ride or bushwalk,” she advised. “Without this, you feel like you’re all living to work or school instead of working or schooling to live.”
At a pharmacy, a range of products in the children’s section can assist with strengthening immunities.
“A good multivitamin and probiotic will boost your child’s immune system and help guide against any nasty viruses as they return to school,” Ms Shephard said.
“I also believe in encouraging good hygiene by clipping a hand sanitiser to their backpack, [which] will help [fight] germs spreading.”
Health concerns
Families often find themselves facing a number of health concerns over schooling, as the year progresses and the weather changes, with different events held that can increase the spread of germs and viruses.
Head lice
“We’ve been lucky over the past three years that, due to social distancing, we haven’t seen a lot of head lice … touch wood,” Ms Shephard said.
“But it’s inevitable that when all the kids come together in [the new school year], there’s bound to be a rise in cases. Plenty of self-care tips help prevent this, including keeping hair set back with hair spray, and not sharing hats.”
Tummy bugs
“Much like lice, when the kids get together, they like to share germs,” Ms Shephard said.
“We often see a rise in gastro at [this time of year, which is why it’s] so important to keep the kids hydrated and select a high-quality probiotic to ensure your child has the best fighting chance against any viruses.”
School carnival activities
The timing of these events prompts Ms Shephard to comment: “What a way to start the school year!”
She continued: “We often see the school carnival season kick off in early February, and while it’s a great day for the kids to be outdoors, active and to practise safe swimming, unfortunately, we often see a rise in heat stroke and sunburn. ‘Slip, slop, slap’ and hydration are key here.”
Worms
“Worms are a funny one,” Ms Shephard said, adding that threadworm infections can rise at this time of year, or perhaps “everyone doses the kids annually on the way back to school”.
“Either way,’ she said, “it’s important not only to follow the dosing advice [for medicine to treat worms], but also to ensure we practise good hygiene by stripping the beds the night after treatment, dosing the whole family at once, repeating the dose in 14 days and keeping fingernails short.”
This feature was originally published in the February issue of Retail Pharmacy Assistants e-magazine.
