August again! Where did the holidays go? Yes, time does fly but don’t panic, there are still a few weeks left of sunshine (we hope!) to enjoy. It’s also a time to think about getting back into a school routine as the month progresses. This helps make the back-to-school transition as smooth and as healthy as possible.
Hand washing
Teaching your child how to wash their hands properly is the single most important thing you can do to keep them as healthy as possible during school term, scientists say.
It took a pandemic to make us all more aware of the importance of handwashing in order to stop the spread of viruses but regular reminders are always useful.
It takes 20 seconds to wash your hands properly, the length of time it will take to hum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Happy Birthday.
This is the internationally-accepted correct technique, crucial in preventing the spread of viruses like colds, flu, COVID-19 and tummy bugs:
Wet your hands with warm water and put on soap.Rub your hands together palm-to-palm until the soap forms a lather.Rub the back of one hand with your palm and fingers spread so you wash between the fingers. Repeat with the other hand.Interlock the top of your hands and rub your fingertips - this cleans your fingertips and knuckles.Then finally hold your thumb tightly and twist to make sure your thumbs are cleaned. Repeat with the other hand.Rinse your hands under running water.Dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel.Coughs and sneezes
Running a close second in importance is using the proper technique to cover coughs and sneezes. Remind your child to cough or sneeze into their elbows instead of their hands.
Be schoobag savvy
Carrying a very heavy school bag can cause forward leaning and bad posture which can, in turn, lead to back and neck pain. Here are some HSE tips, for carrying bags correctly.
Choose one that is right for their size. Children should not use adult-sized bags.A backpack with two wide, padded, adjustable straps is ideal. This distributes the weight evenly across the shoulders, minimising the risk of strain and discomfort.The straps should be adjusted properly, tight enough to hold the bag close to the body. It should rest evenly in the middle of the back, not below the hips.Children should bend their knees and squat down to pick up their bag, lifting it close to their body.Try to only carry books they need for morning or afternoon classes. Use a locker if they have one.
Top tip
Check the weight of your child’s schoolbag. It should not be more than 10% of their body weight. Seek professional advice if your child complains of upper or lower back pain or neck pain.
Useful websites:
https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/parenting-advice/caring-for-a-child/choosing-a-school-bag/
Find a physiotherapist - iscp.ie
https://www.chiropractic.ie/
Lunchbox ideas
Providing nutritious, attractive lunchbox food can be a challenge for parents but fuelling your child during their school day is important for their concentration, energy levels and mood.
Many schools are now providing hot meals at lunchtime but if your school is not one of those yet, here are some tips from the National Dairy Council (NDC), the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and Safefood.
Be prepared and organised: Pack lunchboxes the evening before, rather than during the hectic school morning rush.
Shake things up: Variety is key. It provides nutritional benefits, and reduces boredom. Leftovers from dinner can be a great option.
Get the kids involved: Learning about food and nutrition are important life skills.
Consider presentation: Aim for a variety of shapes, colours and textures. Lunchboxes with different sections can be helpful to keep foods separate. To stop chopped fruit from going brown, add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Try new foods: Encouraging them to try new and different foods is a crucial step in their development of good eating habits.
Don’t forget about hydration: Research suggests dehydration can lead to reduced concentration and performance in children. Water and milk are two excellent tooth-friendly choices; try to avoid sugary drinks.
Eyesight
Not being able to see the blackboard or whiteboard properly can inhibit progress in school and lead to attention issues in the classroom.
When it comes to school learning, 80% is visual and a young child’s eyesight can change rapidly. Between 5-10% of pre-school children and 25% of school-going children have vision problems, according to the Association of Optometrists Ireland.
They recommend getting children’s eyes tested at three years of age and at two-year intervals thereafter.
The routine school screening examination, they point out, is a basic vision assessment whereas a full eye examination examines the health of the eyes and binocular function (how the eyes work together as a team).
See your optometrist if you child complains of headaches or blurred vision, if they squint or tend to sit very close to the TV.
Top tip
Choose a time of day to have the eye test done when the child isn’t tired or irritable as some cooperation is needed.
Footwear facts
School shoes can be costly so you want to make sure they are the right fit, according to Podiatry Ireland:
Have feet properly measured: don’t be tempted to buy shoes that are too big in order to allow your child to ‘grow into them’. Always have shoes fitted to length and width. Fix those fastenings: it is important to have laces or other fastenings such as velcro to hold the foot in place so it does not slip forward and cause the toes to scrunch and claw. This can damage the front of the foot and can lead to the development of hammer-toe (where the toes buckle) and clawed toes, which can become permanent. Plenty of flexibility: soles should be flexible at the ball of the foot but not at the mid-point. They should also have sufficient cushioning. Keep those heels rigid: it is important to have a rigid heel counter because the heel acts as the support for the foot and must be held in a stable position so that it does not lean in or out too much. This could lead to pain and posture problems. If you can easily press in the sides of the heel, it is not providing enough support for the growing foot.Quality: expect to spend €60 upwards on a well-made, properly fitted pair of leather shoes. Top tip
Ballet pumps provide no support to growing feet. Don’t expect one pair of shoes to last the whole year. Have foot or leg pain in your child checked out by a podiatrist.
Sleep routines
Sleep routines can be all over the place during the summer but you should be preparing for the school routine for two weeks before the term starts. Erica Hargarden, a paediatric sleep consultant at Babogue Sleep Solutions says it is important to start moving bedtime back by 15 minutes each night.
Also re-introduce the school morning routine the week before e.g. waking at the correct time, getting dressed, having breakfast, etc. Children in junior infants need 10-11 hours of sleep.
School check-ups
Your child will have several health screening checks during their school years. Hearing and vision is checked and a physical examination is carried out, if deemed necessary, or requested by the parent.
Teeth
Dental checks are part of the health screening programme and teeth should be checked in 2nd class, 4th class and 6th class. However, the Irish Dental Association has pointed out that, in 2023, only 50% of eligible schoolchildren were screened. This was due to the shortage of public dentists. Private dentists recommend regular check-ups for children starting from when they are one year old.
Vaccinations
Primary School - 4-in-1 and MMR vaccine: When a child is in Junior Infants, they will be offered two vaccines: the 4- in-1 booster to protect against diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis); and a second dose of the MMR vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella.
Second Level School - HPV, Tdap and MenACWY vaccines: All students entering first year of secondary school will be offered a tetanus, low-dose diphtheria and low-dose pertussis (whooping cough), (Tdap) non-live booster vaccine and a booster dose of the Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) non-live vaccine, which protect teenagers from potentially life-threatening meningococcal group A, C, W and Y infection (meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning).
The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) non-live vaccine will also be offered. The HPV vaccine protects against almost all cases of cervical cancer, 7 out of 10 vaginal and 5 out of 10 vulval cancer, 9 out of 10 HPV related anal cancers and 9 out of 10 cases of genital warts. Only one dose of HPV vaccine is now recommended, unless the young person is immunocompromised, when they require three doses.
These vaccines are also available to students who are in special schools or are home schooled in the same age group.
Note about measles: cases have increased internationally this year so the HSE is now offering a free catch up MMR vaccination programme to children and eligible adults.
If you cannot find your vaccination records it will not harm you to have the MMR vaccine again. The HSE states that one in five people who get measles end up being hospitalised.
For more information on the School Programme please visit www.immunisation.ie
Information on the MMR vaccine can be found here.
Read more
Health: healing after birth - why a physio check matters
Those with Multiple Sclerosis need more support
August again! Where did the holidays go? Yes, time does fly but don’t panic, there are still a few weeks left of sunshine (we hope!) to enjoy. It’s also a time to think about getting back into a school routine as the month progresses. This helps make the back-to-school transition as smooth and as healthy as possible.
Hand washing
Teaching your child how to wash their hands properly is the single most important thing you can do to keep them as healthy as possible during school term, scientists say.
It took a pandemic to make us all more aware of the importance of handwashing in order to stop the spread of viruses but regular reminders are always useful.
It takes 20 seconds to wash your hands properly, the length of time it will take to hum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Happy Birthday.
This is the internationally-accepted correct technique, crucial in preventing the spread of viruses like colds, flu, COVID-19 and tummy bugs:
Wet your hands with warm water and put on soap.Rub your hands together palm-to-palm until the soap forms a lather.Rub the back of one hand with your palm and fingers spread so you wash between the fingers. Repeat with the other hand.Interlock the top of your hands and rub your fingertips - this cleans your fingertips and knuckles.Then finally hold your thumb tightly and twist to make sure your thumbs are cleaned. Repeat with the other hand.Rinse your hands under running water.Dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel.Coughs and sneezes
Running a close second in importance is using the proper technique to cover coughs and sneezes. Remind your child to cough or sneeze into their elbows instead of their hands.
Be schoobag savvy
Carrying a very heavy school bag can cause forward leaning and bad posture which can, in turn, lead to back and neck pain. Here are some HSE tips, for carrying bags correctly.
Choose one that is right for their size. Children should not use adult-sized bags.A backpack with two wide, padded, adjustable straps is ideal. This distributes the weight evenly across the shoulders, minimising the risk of strain and discomfort.The straps should be adjusted properly, tight enough to hold the bag close to the body. It should rest evenly in the middle of the back, not below the hips.Children should bend their knees and squat down to pick up their bag, lifting it close to their body.Try to only carry books they need for morning or afternoon classes. Use a locker if they have one.
Top tip
Check the weight of your child’s schoolbag. It should not be more than 10% of their body weight. Seek professional advice if your child complains of upper or lower back pain or neck pain.
Useful websites:
https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/parenting-advice/caring-for-a-child/choosing-a-school-bag/
Find a physiotherapist - iscp.ie
https://www.chiropractic.ie/
Lunchbox ideas
Providing nutritious, attractive lunchbox food can be a challenge for parents but fuelling your child during their school day is important for their concentration, energy levels and mood.
Many schools are now providing hot meals at lunchtime but if your school is not one of those yet, here are some tips from the National Dairy Council (NDC), the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and Safefood.
Be prepared and organised: Pack lunchboxes the evening before, rather than during the hectic school morning rush.
Shake things up: Variety is key. It provides nutritional benefits, and reduces boredom. Leftovers from dinner can be a great option.
Get the kids involved: Learning about food and nutrition are important life skills.
Consider presentation: Aim for a variety of shapes, colours and textures. Lunchboxes with different sections can be helpful to keep foods separate. To stop chopped fruit from going brown, add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Try new foods: Encouraging them to try new and different foods is a crucial step in their development of good eating habits.
Don’t forget about hydration: Research suggests dehydration can lead to reduced concentration and performance in children. Water and milk are two excellent tooth-friendly choices; try to avoid sugary drinks.
Eyesight
Not being able to see the blackboard or whiteboard properly can inhibit progress in school and lead to attention issues in the classroom.
When it comes to school learning, 80% is visual and a young child’s eyesight can change rapidly. Between 5-10% of pre-school children and 25% of school-going children have vision problems, according to the Association of Optometrists Ireland.
They recommend getting children’s eyes tested at three years of age and at two-year intervals thereafter.
The routine school screening examination, they point out, is a basic vision assessment whereas a full eye examination examines the health of the eyes and binocular function (how the eyes work together as a team).
See your optometrist if you child complains of headaches or blurred vision, if they squint or tend to sit very close to the TV.
Top tip
Choose a time of day to have the eye test done when the child isn’t tired or irritable as some cooperation is needed.
Footwear facts
School shoes can be costly so you want to make sure they are the right fit, according to Podiatry Ireland:
Have feet properly measured: don’t be tempted to buy shoes that are too big in order to allow your child to ‘grow into them’. Always have shoes fitted to length and width. Fix those fastenings: it is important to have laces or other fastenings such as velcro to hold the foot in place so it does not slip forward and cause the toes to scrunch and claw. This can damage the front of the foot and can lead to the development of hammer-toe (where the toes buckle) and clawed toes, which can become permanent. Plenty of flexibility: soles should be flexible at the ball of the foot but not at the mid-point. They should also have sufficient cushioning. Keep those heels rigid: it is important to have a rigid heel counter because the heel acts as the support for the foot and must be held in a stable position so that it does not lean in or out too much. This could lead to pain and posture problems. If you can easily press in the sides of the heel, it is not providing enough support for the growing foot.Quality: expect to spend €60 upwards on a well-made, properly fitted pair of leather shoes. Top tip
Ballet pumps provide no support to growing feet. Don’t expect one pair of shoes to last the whole year. Have foot or leg pain in your child checked out by a podiatrist.
Sleep routines
Sleep routines can be all over the place during the summer but you should be preparing for the school routine for two weeks before the term starts. Erica Hargarden, a paediatric sleep consultant at Babogue Sleep Solutions says it is important to start moving bedtime back by 15 minutes each night.
Also re-introduce the school morning routine the week before e.g. waking at the correct time, getting dressed, having breakfast, etc. Children in junior infants need 10-11 hours of sleep.
School check-ups
Your child will have several health screening checks during their school years. Hearing and vision is checked and a physical examination is carried out, if deemed necessary, or requested by the parent.
Teeth
Dental checks are part of the health screening programme and teeth should be checked in 2nd class, 4th class and 6th class. However, the Irish Dental Association has pointed out that, in 2023, only 50% of eligible schoolchildren were screened. This was due to the shortage of public dentists. Private dentists recommend regular check-ups for children starting from when they are one year old.
Vaccinations
Primary School - 4-in-1 and MMR vaccine: When a child is in Junior Infants, they will be offered two vaccines: the 4- in-1 booster to protect against diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis); and a second dose of the MMR vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella.
Second Level School - HPV, Tdap and MenACWY vaccines: All students entering first year of secondary school will be offered a tetanus, low-dose diphtheria and low-dose pertussis (whooping cough), (Tdap) non-live booster vaccine and a booster dose of the Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) non-live vaccine, which protect teenagers from potentially life-threatening meningococcal group A, C, W and Y infection (meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning).
The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) non-live vaccine will also be offered. The HPV vaccine protects against almost all cases of cervical cancer, 7 out of 10 vaginal and 5 out of 10 vulval cancer, 9 out of 10 HPV related anal cancers and 9 out of 10 cases of genital warts. Only one dose of HPV vaccine is now recommended, unless the young person is immunocompromised, when they require three doses.
These vaccines are also available to students who are in special schools or are home schooled in the same age group.
Note about measles: cases have increased internationally this year so the HSE is now offering a free catch up MMR vaccination programme to children and eligible adults.
If you cannot find your vaccination records it will not harm you to have the MMR vaccine again. The HSE states that one in five people who get measles end up being hospitalised.
For more information on the School Programme please visit www.immunisation.ie
Information on the MMR vaccine can be found here.
Read more
Health: healing after birth - why a physio check matters
Those with Multiple Sclerosis need more support
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: