5 Back-to-School Tasks For Better Health

5 Back-to-School Tasks For Better Health

While it might seem that the last school year just ended, it’s already time to get serious about preparing for the start of the new one. The kids will certainly have a handle on this year’s must-have clothing and gadgets, but there are plenty of practical details that will be left to you, the parent, to sort out.

To help you get into the proper frame of mind, here are 5 smart back to school tasks for better health:

Immunizations
Vaccination requirements and recommendations for Indianapolis students are changed frequently, so it is important to check updated information against your child’s immunization records each year before the new school term begins.
Annual Physical Exam

Every child should have a general health check-up at least once a year. Handling this task before the new term begins ensures that your student starts school with a clean bill of health, as well as preventing missed classes for routine examinations once school has begun.

Sports Physicals
If your student is an athlete, an annual sports physical is an important measure in protecting his or her health and safety and a requirement for most K-12 and college sports programs. A sports physical goes beyond the average annual health exam, giving special attention to the cardiopulmonary system in order to detect underlying issues that could prove dangerous or even fatal with prolonged exertion, as well as the musculoskeletal system to determine if problems exist that could increase injury risk. Additionally, a sports physical gives parents an opportunity to get professional recommendations on athletic safety gear, ensuring the best possible protection for their students.

Eye Examination
Poor eyesight can have a tremendous impact on academic performance, so don’t skip that annual exam. Vision problems can develop quickly and at any time, so even if your child had perfect vision last year, that’s no guarantee against a problem this year or next. If your child already wears corrective lenses, have a vision check to ensure that his her prescription is still appropriate, and if your student will be involved in sports, checking into shatter-proof lenses and other safeguards is wise.

Dental Examination
Dental exams need to be done several weeks before school begins. This is especially important if your child may need dental work done or mouth guards fitted for sports, allowing plenty of time to accomplish these tasks before the first day.

If your student is a teen-ager, wisdom teeth are an important issue to discuss during that exam. Typically, they erupt between the ages of 17 and 21, and they are likely to be troublesome. Often, there is simply not enough room in the jaw for them, causing misalignment or overcrowding as they emerge, issues that can be very painful and damaging to adjacent teeth. Impaction is also common, which happens when the wisdom tooth becomes fully or partially trapped beneath the gums, making wisdom teeth removal necessary.

Often, your dentist can detect signs of trouble very early with careful monitoring, and when it comes to wisdom teeth removal, earlier is better. The longer you wait, the more developed the roots will become, making extraction more difficult. If wisdom teeth removal is recommended, you’ ll need to schedule a procedure with your oral surgeon early enough to ensure that your child will have plenty of time to fully recover before school begins.

Taking care of those 5 important health tasks will help ensure your child is ready to make the most of the new school year. Of course, every school has its own rules and requirements, so check with yours to ensure you haven’t missed any important details.

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