Ask a pediatrician: What to know before back-to-school
Dr. Jessica Young, a pediatrician at UNC Health, has some advice for parents and kids making the transition back to school.
Schedule a well visit
If your child hasn't seen their doctor or health care provider within the last year, now is the time to schedule a checkup.
Two vaccines that are recommended but not required are the COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
“As children head back into schools and more crowded settings, and as we head into the fall, I suspect we'll start to see more COVID cases in the fall and winter,” Young said.
Children should receive their flu vaccines by October, and parents can talk with their doctor to see if their child is eligible for another COVID-19 booster.
Young recommends flu vaccines for all children, particularly those with asthma or other conditions with higher risk for complications.
Another important part of a school age child’s well visit is hearing and vision screenings, which are critical for school success as well.
Young said your pediatrician will screen for developmental milestones based on your child’s age.
“We look at children who are entering school or kindergarten for the first time, for example, and how well they are able to [learn] and express their emotions and their feelings,” which is extremely important in school, Young said.
A well visit is also the perfect place to talk about your child’s individual needs – like allergies to specific foods, anxiety, learning difficulties or behavioral problems. A pediatrician can help guide your child’s care or write notes for the school if a child requires special accommodations.
Get ready for a change
Whether your child is entering kindergarten or their senior year of high school, the weeks leading up to back-to-school are an important time to have a conversation with your child.
“It’s a good time to reflect back on the previous school year and how that school year went for them,” Young said.
This is especially true for rising kindergartners or those attending new schools.
“If your child is new to the school system or has never been to school before, it's always a good idea to talk with them about what school looks like,” Young said.
Attend orientation so they can meet their teacher and see their new school.
“If there's an opportunity to take the child to the school and let them see their classroom and meet their teacher or teachers they'll be working with on a day-to-day basis, that often helps ease the anxiousness that a lot of children may feel with approaching a new situation,” Young said.
Older kids may need to talk with parents about cell phone or internet use and safety, changing friendships or balancing school and sports or extracurricular activities.
“Now is a great time to start thinking about what those things are that you need to set in place so that the transition to school is very easy for them,” Young said.
Establish a good sleep routine
A healthy bedtime routine is important for all kids, especially young children.
“Make sure your child is getting an adequate number of hours of sleep per night so they are well rested and ready to participate in all the activities at school,” Young said.
According to Young, younger children typically need more sleep than older children, tweens and teenagers. In general, parents of school-age children should aim for anywhere from 9 to 12 hours of hours of sleep per night.
Many kids go to bed later in the summer. Make sure to begin adjusting your child’s sleep schedule a few weeks before school begins.
“I recommend parents think about that over several weeks before school starts so you can slowly start to set that clock back inch by inch to where the child needs to be,” Young said.
Talk with your child
Meaningful relationships, open communication and making time for fun will all set your child up for a successful school year.
“Talking to your child not only helps you get more insight into how the school day went for them but also fosters that parent-child bonding that can be so protective and helpful as the child grows into an adult,” Young said.
Nightly family dinners are a great time to check in and ask:
- How was your school day today?
- Did you learn anything new?
- How did you feel about school today?
- Did you do anything differently today?
- Did anything concern you today that you'd like to talk about?
“It’s a really good opportunity to foster that safe and welcome environment that children need in order to open up and express their feelings,” Young said.
Talk with your teachers
Young encourages parents to have frequent check-ins with their child's teacher or teachers, asking questions like:
- Is your child doing things as expected?
- Are they on par with their peers?
- Are they having any difficulty with specific emotions?
- Have they noticed patterns about how your child approaches certain things?
“Teachers can be very insightful when it comes to how a child is learning,” Young said. “Even if things seem fine, it's always a good idea to check in with the teacher, who can let you in on some things you would otherwise be unaware about.”
Preparing for kindergarten
Back-to-school can be stressful for any age, but preparing for kindergarten can cause anxiety for kids and especially parents.
A question parents commonly ask is: What can I do to prepare my child over the summer or in the month before school starts?
Young recommends creating low-stress but fun learning environments for children.
“That can be simple things such as counting items you have in the home or, if you're out and about, just pointing out certain things that you see, like birds in the sky,” Young said.
Reading is also important.
“Reading can help a child in so many different ways, and that's one of the areas where the teachers will be looking for children to progress with starting as early as kindergarten,” Young said. “Any opportunity that a parent has to read to their child will be significantly helpful.”
Finally, be easy on yourself and your child. Remember, it takes time to adjust to a new environment and routine.
“I need a little bit of time to adjust to new situations, and children are no different,” Young said. “It’s the little things that can help them prepare and help them not feel so overwhelmed when they step foot in school on the first day.”
Jessica Young, MD, MPH, is a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at UNC and Associate Program Director for the Preventive Medicine Residency program.
