BACK TO SCHOOL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Though the school year may have just ended and it’s the middle of summer vacation for most NYC children, the new school year is just around the corner and before you know it, you’ll be sending your children off to school again.   

These are a few quick tips to make sure the new school year does not cause stress and become overwhelming for you: 

• Make sure that before school starts, you have sufficient medication on hand especially if your child has a medical condition (allergies,asthma, etc.). This will prevent you from having to emergently try to get an appointment for a refill at the last minute.

• If your child is part of a sports program, schedule an appointment for a sports physical now to make sure he/she has a sports physical on file. This will prevent last minute stress of waiting for blood work which could delay form submissions and prevent your child from participation.  
• If your child’s school requires a new physical in the upcoming school year, don’t procrastinate and schedule an appointment well in advance to make any form completions seamless. 
• Make sure your child’s routine immunizations are up to date.  Don’t wait for the school to inform you otherwise and then have to play catch-up.  Schedule that appointment with your pediatrician now – ahead of time.
• Poor sleep effects school performance so establish bedtime routines during the summer (albeit a little lenient at times).  You want to make sure that when September comes around, there is no difficulty waking up to go to school or difficulty concentrating due to lack of sleep. Having healthy sleep habits is often key to better performance in school and happier, healthier children in general.
• Remember, we have all been through a pandemic which has brought about many changes and challenges – some of which remain. Please make sure to address any mental health concerns, fears or stresses and if needed, have therapy or whatever help they may need to learn coping mechanisms in place before the new school year begins.

With back-to-school hustle and bustle looming around the corner, take advantage now, have your child exercise, have fun, take part in activities whenever possible and catch some sun as well as establish healthy eating habits. These will all help your child’s overall health and prepare him/her
for the school year.

Schedule an appointment with your pediatrician to discuss what you can do now to improve your child’s health and to make sure the transition to a new school year runs smoothly. 

Luis Velasquez MD FAAP

Director of Pediatrics

Joseph P. Addabbo Family
Health Center

718-945-7150