Staying healthy in school

My name is Healthy Heather, and today, I will tell you ways to stay healthy in school and to prevent illness or infection. 

   First, let's talk about the basics. Washing your hands will cut down on colds and illness. Please encourage your child to wash their hands regularly to prevent the spread of germs. Practicing good sleep habits allows children to control their emotions and behavior to help them be successful in school. Ensure your child eats breakfast; without it, they can be irritable, restless, and tired. Most importantly, exercise is necessary to keep their body and mind healthy.

Health assessment interviews should be done on a child's first day of school as they cover the basic or family health history to help caregivers identify potential physical or psychological health concerns. Immunization shots should be up to date, and records should be given to the school. Vaccines are provided to help protect your child from diseases. In all this will help caregivers be aware of a child's allergies, pre-existing conditions and health concerns.

Conducting a regular Daily Health Check-up will help identify children in distress, sick, or injured who need exclusion from care or additional support to safely attend child care that day.  The best way to conduct a check-up is to look for symptoms, listen for unusual sounds, note any fever, and sniff for incontinence or other unusual odors.