Children’s Health & Wellness
With summer coming to a close and students returning to school, we sat down with Dr. Rica Jester to talk about children’s health and wellness, including school physicals and vaccines, physical fitness, sleep schedules, nutrition and ADHD. Developing an active lifestyle, routine sleep schedule and mindful habits in the kitchen can benefit your child and help keep them healthy and happy now and in the future.
School Physicals & Vaccines
Most schools require a school physical exam and certification of immunization to enroll your child. School physical exams cover things like height, weight, blood pressure, reflexes, vision and hearing, and more, and helps to ensure they are staying healthy as they grow up. Annual checkups can reveal problems early and reinforce healthy behavior. They can also help your child develop a trusting relationship with their clinician and help establish a lifelong pattern of healthy habits.
Depending your child’s age, certain vaccines may be required. “On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases,” according to the CDC. For a full breakdown of recommended vaccine schedules, visit Growing Up with Vaccines, a helpful resource provided by the CDC that provides information on when to vaccinate and what each vaccine does.
Physical Fitness
Keeping your kids healthy is more than just keeping them up to date on their shots. “Kids who play sports may need a specialized checkup that looks for family history of heart conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and a more involved physical exam,” says Dr. Rica Jester. Keeping kids active at an early age is a crucial part of their growth and development. Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance, and classroom behaviors. Currently, less than a quarter of children ages 6 to 17 participate in at least one hour of daily activity.
Sleep Schedule
Making sure your children get the right amount of sleep can help them tackle the challenges of a new school year. Lack of sleep in children can result is mood swings, hyper-activeness and ill temperament. While not all children require the same amount of sleep, there are recommended sleep schedules for school aged children. School-age kids and preteens need between 9 and 12 hours of sleep per night, according to Nemours. Bedtime problems often arise during this age group due to things like homework and after-school activities, as well as busy family schedules.
“Good sleep hygiene is important for your child’s well-being and for yours,” says Dr. Jester. “Avoid screen time in bed and try to keep lights to a minimum, with the exception of night lights.”
Teaching your kids good sleep habits from an early age can help keep their nighttime routine and sleep schedule consistent. “Consistent habits, like sticking to the same bedtime, having time for your child to wind down before bed, and brushing their teeth are all important elements for a healthy nighttime routine,” Dr. Jester says.
During teen years, students tend to be more sleep deprived due to pressures from school, homework, friends, social media, and extracurricular activities. Teens still need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, and sleep deprivation can lead to inattentiveness, inconsistent performance, short-term memory loss, and delayed response times.
“Kids can get overstimulated when they have video games, phones, or other digital devices in their bed. These can interfere with their ability to get a good night’s sleep,” advises Dr. Jester. “Be sure to avoid soda, caffeine and sugary drinks before bed, which can wind your kids up when they should be winding down.”
Approximately 30% of teens sleep with their mobile devices in their bed, with similar numbers waking up during the night to check their device. Parents aren’t too far behind, with a quarter of parents waking up during the night to check their phones and mobile devices.
Nutrition
Nutrition for your children is similar to your dietary needs – a healthy balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, with supplemental vitamins and minerals when needed. Choose lean proteins over fatty or processed meats, which can contain high levels of saturated fat and sodium, and limit added sugars like high fructose corn syrup and saturated fats from fried foods.
Encourage fresh fruit as a snack instead of fruit juice and soda. One can of soda contains more sugar than a child’s recommended daily value, and can contribute to hyperactivity, moodiness, obesity, and even type 2 diabetes. Fresh vegetables also add a variety of nutrients to your meal prepared as a main dish, side dish, or salad.
“Kids and teens can be picky, so trying to make healthy foods taste good can sometimes be a challenge,” says Dr. Jester. “You can start with reducing or substituting the amount of salt, butter, and oil in meals you cook at home and by choosing vegetables and fresh fruits for quick snacks.”
Substituting bleached grains with alternatives like whole-wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, and quinoa are small changes that help improve the nutrition of some of your favorite meals. Low fat and low sugar dairy options are also an easy substitute for things like whole milk and cream cheese. For a comprehensive look at dietary options and recommendations, visit Health.gov’s Dietary Guidelines.
“There are so many choices when it comes to nutrition that it can be overwhelming as a parent to remember what’s healthy,” Dr. Jester says. “An easy to remember piece of advice is 5-2-1. 5 servings of vegetables and fruits a day, at least 2 hours of active playtime, and limiting screen time to 1 hour a day.”
According to recent studies by CommonSense.org, a national nonprofit organization, children 8 years and under are spending an average of over 2 hours per day on screens. The number grows as children become teenagers, with the average teen spending roughly 3 hours per day on their smartphone, mostly to listen to music and use social media.
“We’ve reduced our physical activity and increased our screen time, which can contribute to obesity,” Dr. Jester warns. “We are so electronically driven.”
According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 school age children (ages 6-19) in the United States has obesity. Childhood obesity can have severe health risks and consequences, including the development of high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, as well as problems with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
Practicing mindful eating can also help kids maintain a healthy diet. According to Harvard Medical School, people that are more mindful of their meal not only enjoy their food more but also struggle less to control their eating and lose weight. Start with small portions and take the time to appreciate your food, taking small bites and eating slowly. Making mealtime a priority for you and your family is an important part of creating healthy family habits.
“Eating dinner as a family gives you time to establish healthy eating habits with your kids and to spend quality time with them,” says Dr. Jester. “Having a mealtime routine for your kids can be as important as their nighttime routine.”
With so many options and choices to remember, it can be hard to know where to begin. “Start simple by encouraging them to eat well, exercise, and sleep so they can be well-rested and ready to tackle the day as it comes,” Dr. Jester says.
ADHD
“One of the biggest thing parents worry about is, “do my kids have ADHD?” says Dr. Jester. The percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD is growing, according to the CDC. Diagnosing ADHD can be difficult, since it shares similar symptoms with sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities and there is no single test to diagnose it.
“Make sure they’re exercising, sleeping right, and eating right,” Dr. Jester advises. “Sometimes hyperactivity can just be kids being kids, but if it’s interfering with school and home life, relationships with siblings and parents, and overall behavioral issues, it may be a sign that something else is going on.” There are a variety of treatment options for ADHD, including medication, education and therapy.
Examining environmental factors, daily routines and regular habits are important because there may be other factors that are affecting your child’s concentration, inattention, and hyperactivity. “Besides ADHD, it could be sleep related, hearing or vision related, or a learning disability,” says Dr. Jester. “ADHD concerns can apply to anyone, not just kids. If you have concerns, you should talk with your child’s primary care provider.”
Conclusion
“As parents, what you do translates to your kids,” Dr. Jester explains. “Your exercise routine, your sleep habits, your diet – practicing what you preach is essential.” Establishing family routines like eating breakfast and dinner together, going on walks, and doing outdoor activities on the weekend can benefit your children’s health now and in the future. Making sure your child is well-rested and well-nourished with healthy habits and routines benefits their well-being and instills value in their health and happiness. If you have any concerns about your child’s health, contact their primary care provider or book an appointment with us today.
Clinician Contributor:
Disclaimer: All information presented on this website is intended for educational purposes only and not intended to replace your individual medical advice. Please review this information with your clinical team to ensure it is appropriate for your individual medical needs. The information contained is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.