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Back-to-School Safety Tips for Families
Leticia Hunyh, MD, a pediatrician at Evergreen Health, discusses the best practices for keeping children safe as they return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Featuring:
Learn more about Dr. Leticia Huynh
Leticia Huynh, MD
Dr. Leticia Huynh provides a full range of family medicine services including office procedures, prenatal care, pediatric care and geriatric care. She is interested in preventive medicine, women’s health and the comprehensive primary care of complex chronic illnesses including diabetes, heart failure, coronary artery disease and stroke.Learn more about Dr. Leticia Huynh
Transcription:
Caitlin Whyte: Welcome to Check-up Chat with EvergreenHealth. I'm Caitlin Whyte. As children across the state transition back to in-person learning for the first time in more than a year, it's important to start this new school year on the right foot. This year also presents new challenges with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. So it's imperative we think about how best to prioritize the safety of our students, educators and parents too.
Here with us to talk about these hurdles is Dr. Leticia Huynh, a primary care physician at EvergreenHealth Primary Care Redmond. Doctor, more than 1 million school-aged children are headed back to school this year. How should we be navigating the start of the school year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic?
Leticia Huynh, MD: Well, I think that the first thing that we should keep in mind is to take COVID-19 seriously as we head into this school year, make sure that our children and our students are educated about what COVID-19 is and the signs and symptoms. I also recommend definitely making sure that children know about proper hand washing techniques, mask wearing, and other ways to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
In terms of mass wearing, I do think that, if possible, you should have four or five different masks for your children, so that you can have several on hand that you can rotate through the week and wash regularly. You should keep your child at home if they're sick and bring them into the doctor when necessary.
Because COVID-19 is such a stressful issue, definitely it's a good idea to check in on your child's mental health regularly and seek help if appropriate. There's a lot of new changes as children head back to school this year. It can create a lot of anxiety.
Caitlin Whyte: Now. besides having those masks and things that you mentioned, it's also so important to set up a successful back-to-school routine. What are some ways to set children up here at the start of the school year on the right foot?
Leticia Huynh, MD: There are several things that we can do to make sure that our students are getting off on the right foot this year. One of the most important things is to make sure that children are sleeping enough. So keeping them to a firm sleep schedule and making sure that they're getting enough rest. Teenagers need at least eight hours of sleep and younger kids need at least nine hours of sleep every night.
Another thing that we can do to get kids off on the right foot is to give them the right fuel to be successful because, of course, your brain needs food to function properly. So it's important to pack nutrient-dense lunches and snacks. You can use a fun lunchbox and also a water bottle that your child enjoys using. And it's important to limit or eliminate sugary beverages. One thing to know is that one 12-ounce soft drink has 10 teaspoons of sugar. And if one of these soft drinks is consumed every day, it can increase a child's risk of obesity by 60%.
Thirdly, it's important to be able to get children to and from school safely. So whether students are taking the school bus, walking or being dropped off at school by a carpool group or parent, it's important students know how they're getting to and from school and you can keep the parent's contact info in their backpack.
Caitlin Whyte: Sending kids to school in a pandemic is taking a toll on everyone in the family. So what are some tips to prioritize self-care as a parent and keep everyone at home thriving?
Leticia Huynh, MD: Well, one thing that I definitely recommend is to get everything ready the night before and to have a plan. So the night before school starts, you can get the coffeemaker set up, set out outfits and pack the kids backpacks, and you can plan your schedule for the next morning. And it's also important to prioritize your own mental health, so check in with yourself regularly and ask for help if you need it.
It can also be helpful to meet with your partner or spouse before the week starts to discuss the priorities and the schedule for the week. And also find another parent at school who can share responsibilities with you such as carpooling.
Finally, it's important to remember to not over-schedule yourself or your family.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, as we wrap up here, doctor, any last tips you have for heading back to school amongst the craziness of these times?
Leticia Huynh, MD: Well, I think the important thing to keep in mind is that while the return to in-person schooling can seem daunting after everything that we've been through, with the right preparation and regular check-ins with you and your family, you can definitely start off the school year on the right foot and continue to be successful throughout the school year.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, thank you for guiding us through this tumultuous back-to-school season, doctor. Find out more about EvergreenHealth at evergreenhealth.com. This has been Check-up Chat with EvergreenHealth. I'm Caitlyn Whyte. Stay well.
Caitlin Whyte: Welcome to Check-up Chat with EvergreenHealth. I'm Caitlin Whyte. As children across the state transition back to in-person learning for the first time in more than a year, it's important to start this new school year on the right foot. This year also presents new challenges with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. So it's imperative we think about how best to prioritize the safety of our students, educators and parents too.
Here with us to talk about these hurdles is Dr. Leticia Huynh, a primary care physician at EvergreenHealth Primary Care Redmond. Doctor, more than 1 million school-aged children are headed back to school this year. How should we be navigating the start of the school year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic?
Leticia Huynh, MD: Well, I think that the first thing that we should keep in mind is to take COVID-19 seriously as we head into this school year, make sure that our children and our students are educated about what COVID-19 is and the signs and symptoms. I also recommend definitely making sure that children know about proper hand washing techniques, mask wearing, and other ways to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
In terms of mass wearing, I do think that, if possible, you should have four or five different masks for your children, so that you can have several on hand that you can rotate through the week and wash regularly. You should keep your child at home if they're sick and bring them into the doctor when necessary.
Because COVID-19 is such a stressful issue, definitely it's a good idea to check in on your child's mental health regularly and seek help if appropriate. There's a lot of new changes as children head back to school this year. It can create a lot of anxiety.
Caitlin Whyte: Now. besides having those masks and things that you mentioned, it's also so important to set up a successful back-to-school routine. What are some ways to set children up here at the start of the school year on the right foot?
Leticia Huynh, MD: There are several things that we can do to make sure that our students are getting off on the right foot this year. One of the most important things is to make sure that children are sleeping enough. So keeping them to a firm sleep schedule and making sure that they're getting enough rest. Teenagers need at least eight hours of sleep and younger kids need at least nine hours of sleep every night.
Another thing that we can do to get kids off on the right foot is to give them the right fuel to be successful because, of course, your brain needs food to function properly. So it's important to pack nutrient-dense lunches and snacks. You can use a fun lunchbox and also a water bottle that your child enjoys using. And it's important to limit or eliminate sugary beverages. One thing to know is that one 12-ounce soft drink has 10 teaspoons of sugar. And if one of these soft drinks is consumed every day, it can increase a child's risk of obesity by 60%.
Thirdly, it's important to be able to get children to and from school safely. So whether students are taking the school bus, walking or being dropped off at school by a carpool group or parent, it's important students know how they're getting to and from school and you can keep the parent's contact info in their backpack.
Caitlin Whyte: Sending kids to school in a pandemic is taking a toll on everyone in the family. So what are some tips to prioritize self-care as a parent and keep everyone at home thriving?
Leticia Huynh, MD: Well, one thing that I definitely recommend is to get everything ready the night before and to have a plan. So the night before school starts, you can get the coffeemaker set up, set out outfits and pack the kids backpacks, and you can plan your schedule for the next morning. And it's also important to prioritize your own mental health, so check in with yourself regularly and ask for help if you need it.
It can also be helpful to meet with your partner or spouse before the week starts to discuss the priorities and the schedule for the week. And also find another parent at school who can share responsibilities with you such as carpooling.
Finally, it's important to remember to not over-schedule yourself or your family.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, as we wrap up here, doctor, any last tips you have for heading back to school amongst the craziness of these times?
Leticia Huynh, MD: Well, I think the important thing to keep in mind is that while the return to in-person schooling can seem daunting after everything that we've been through, with the right preparation and regular check-ins with you and your family, you can definitely start off the school year on the right foot and continue to be successful throughout the school year.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, thank you for guiding us through this tumultuous back-to-school season, doctor. Find out more about EvergreenHealth at evergreenhealth.com. This has been Check-up Chat with EvergreenHealth. I'm Caitlyn Whyte. Stay well.