SICKNESS SYLLABUS

ByKatieMcPherson

EachAugust,kidsofallages head back to school after summervacation.They’ve gottheirnewbackpacks loadedwithsharppencils, plentyofnotebookpaperand, accordingtotheUniversity ofColorado,anaverageof 332,000differentkindsof bacteria on their hands.

Pre-K & Kindergarten Prep

Bad news first: Your child will get sick from school.

The average child entering kindergarten will have eight to 12 colds and one to two diarrheal episodes in one school year alone. All parents know this is the age when children’s immune systems start taking their first major hits and will hopefully build up over time. But in the name of being prepared, what is your child most likely to come home with?

So how can you keep your children healthy, whether they’re still finger painting or driving themselves to school? Here’s the rundown on sickness this school year.

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Sinus and the

One of the most common illnesses for young children is bacterial conjunctivitis. That’s right—the dreaded often in preschool and kindergarten classrooms. It’s caused by the same viruses and bacteria as other colds and infections and is typically spread by touching eyes with contaminated hands after touching something used by another infected child. infections are also guaranteed to strike at an age where hands are used as tissues and toys and crayons are communal. The same goes for gastroenteritis also known as the stomach bug.

Of course, before your little scholar sets foot in school, they’re going to need a few vaccinations. According to FloridaHealth.gov, here’s the list of shots preschoolers and kindergarteners need:

Public And Non-public Preschool Entry Vaccinations:

Boosting Your Babies’ Immunity

• DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)

• IPV (polio)

• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)

• Hepatitis B

• Varicella

• Hib

Public/Non-public Schools

Kindergarten Through 12th Grade

(Required for children entering, attending or transferring to Florida schools)

• Four or five doses of DTaP

• Four or five doses of IPV

• Two doses of MMR

• Three doses of Hepatitis B

• One Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap)

• Two doses of Varicella unless there is a history of varicella disease documented by a health care provider flu vaccine is not required by most pre-K and kindergarten schools, it’s currently recommended for everyone 6 months and older. Serious flu complications typically only occur in children under 2, but an estimated 20,000 kids ages 6 months to 5 years are hospitalized with the flu and its complications each year. Children with chronic health problems like asthma or diabetes are at a higher risk for developing complications. Be sure to ask your pediatrician if the flu vaccination is right for your child.

Even daycare veterans’ immune systems won’t win every battle. How can you keep your child healthy among the army of little nose-pickers at school?

1SERVE THEM AS MANY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AS POSSIBLE. Ideally, they should eat five servings a day, (two tablespoons for toddlers and one cup for older kids). Focus on foods rich in phytonutrients, like carrots, strawberries and oranges—studies show they increase production of white blood cells, which fight viruses.

2GET THEM TO BED. Preschoolers need an average of 10 hours of sleep each night, but some may struggle to nap at school surrounded by playmates and activity. If your child is one of them, get them to bed in time to get 12 or 13 hours so their bodies can stay strong.

3PREVENT GERM SPREAD BY WASHING

HANDS, OF COURSE. Get kids more excited about the routine by letting them pick out soap in fun shapes and scents. Also, if a child falls ill with a bacterial infection (think strep) they can reinfect themselves later, so toss their toothbrush. Even if it’s viral, the germs can easily brush hop, so replace their brush if only to defend everyone else’s.

Elementary Illness

There’s no crazy vaccine list this time—parents probably have their hands full with the elementary school supply list as it is. That said, there are some new sicknesses on the block, but you can add a few more bacteria-busting tactics to your child’s wellness arsenal, too.

Anywhere from 6 million to 12 million cases of lice are reported in children ages 3 through 11 each year, more often in girls. They’re transmitted via head-to-head contact while playing. It’s less common for lice to travel on shared hairbrushes, clothing, hats, earphones, etc., but it’s still a good idea to have your child keep their above-the-neck belongings to themselves.

Strep throat also occurs most commonly in children, as it’s spread by sharing food and drink, airborne droplets from an uncontained cough or sneeze and touching doorknobs or surfaces shared with those already infected. Strep bacteria typically circulates in the fall and early spring, and it loves to make its way around groups of people in close contact (i.e. classrooms). Be sure to keep your child’s teacher stocked on hand sanitizer, and make sure your children have all the supplies they need to avoid borrowing a pencil from a sick neighbor or touching the community sharpener.

As always, the common cold will be back for a few more bouts this year. Most students average three to five colds each year.