Three “Must Do’s” for Your Child to Succeed in School this Year
By Zulma Curet, MD
The start of this in-person school year looks like no other seen in any recent times. The COVID-19 pandemic tested the resolve of parents, children, and — most certainly — teachers. Re-entry back on campus is different.
I believe any student can excel in this new normal with the help of parents and our community, provided we all support our kids by conducting these three “must do’s.”
Get your children vaccinated
Ensure students 12 and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine. More than 4.4 million U.S. children contracted the virus since the pandemic began. Those figures are rising again, and the number of kids currently in hospital pediatric ICU beds should set off big alarms to parents. COVID-19 is real and can be dangerous. Children with even a mild- moderate course risk prolonged symptoms that can significantly impact their academic performance and quality of life. These include dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations, headaches, dysautonomia, brain fog and cardiac medical issues.
I strongly recommend immunizations for all childhood diseases. Keeping kids safe and on-campus starts by ensuring they receive the required vaccinations outlined by the California Department of Public Health’s Shots For School site.
Understandably, many parents still have questions about the COVID vaccine and other immunizations. Reach out to your doctors and discuss them before turning to any social media or blog post. Much misinformation exists about the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of the COVID vaccine as well as immunizations for other illnesses.
Get your kids their annual medical and dental checkups
Many young people didn’t see their doctor during the pandemic. Some facilities didn’t schedule non-emergency appointments at various times, making it incredibly challenging for parents to schedule checkups. Thankfully, all San Diego County health centers are doing so now. Schedule a physical and dental exam for your child if you haven’t done so in over a year. Address any medical issues early so your child can focus on school.
You’ll also want your pediatrician to evaluate your child’s mental health and any issues that they may feel about returning to in-person learning. The effects of remote learning have had a significant impact on the mental health of many youths. I’ve seen a significant spike in kids feeling more anxious and depressed over the past year and a half. Distance learning and isolation resulted in many students not performing academically as they usually do. If this is your family’s experience, please ask for help, whether it is at school or with your doctor.
Help students transition back to campusSome students are genuinely fearful about going back in person to school for a variety of reasons. Many won’t return to the campus they left in March 2020 and find themselves in a new environment without their friends. Others may raise concerns about the COVID-19 Delta variant and its impact on their school’s safety.
Treat all issues that your child raises with you in this area as legitimate, then work on a strategy to help them overcome these fears. Start by touring the campus with them, even if only from the outside. Discuss all the procedures and protocols the school currently uses to keep students safe. Schedule time with the guidance counselors, staff and faculty members to address your child’s concerns and how to manage them. Involve your child in these discussions so they can feel empowered to succeed on campus.
Also talk about the importance of using a face mask to help prevent disease at school and in our community. Remind children that wearing masks is temporary, and we will one day be able to go back to school without them. We are all a community, and those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated depend on everyone else in their community to keep them safe. This approach is especially true for our elementary-aged children. To that end, keep children home if they are ill.
This school year can be the new beginning students need after 18 months of uncertainty. They will need the help of their parents, educators and medical professionals to ensure they can succeed. Tools and assistance are there for any parent who needs it, regardless of circumstance. All you have to do is ask.
Curet is a pediatrician doctor at the Poway health center of Neighborhood Healthcare, a non-profit organization that provides quality, compassionate, whole-person care to everyone, regardless of circumstance.