Back-to-School Series
With back-to-school season in full swing, our Back-to-School Series is intended to provide parents with quick tips from our pediatric specialists to help you and your kids cope with anxiety, sleeping habits, mental health, and other issues you may have questions about.
As parents, students and teachers head back to school, they have many items to check off their to-do lists. While stocking up on pencils, papers and laptops, don't forget to add mental and physical health to the checklist.
In our Back-to-School Series, we've compiled expert tips and tools to keep your mind and body in tip-top shape for a positive and healthy school year.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Even though most children in South Florida are going back to school virtually, experts say it's vital to stay up to date on your children's immunizations to help avoid preventable diseases like Chickenpox (Varicella), Measles and Hepatitis A. Carolina Kaack, ARNP, talks about how to prepare and what vaccination services are available in our community, like Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Mobile Health Center. Stay tuned for more back-to-school information from our experts.
MENTAL HEALTH
Students, parents and teachers preparing to return to school during the pandemic— in-person, remotely or both — may be facing anxiety of the unknown. Pediatric psychologist Ximena Flanders, PsyD, shares important tips for families during this uncertain time. Be sure to visit our blog for additional coping tips from our pediatric psychologists.
SLEEP
Raise your hand if your child’s bedtime has gone out the window during quarantine and a relaxed summer schedule. We know some children and teenagers are staying up late and sleeping in. Sleep medicine specialist, Daniel Hsu, MD, explains why it is time for kids to get their ZZZs and how to get back on a healthy sleep schedule. For more tips from Dr. Hsu, check out our latest blog.
RECONDITIONING
Back to school and back to sports! Whether it's virtual dance classes, travel baseball or training for karate, did you know that returning to sports after downtime requires reconditioning?
Matthew Fazekas, MD, medical director of the U18 Pediatric Sports Medicine Program shares tips on three important things to help kids return to sports safely and avoid injuries.
Pediatric sports medicine specialist Michael Dressing, MD, also shares advice on the safest ways to combat the effects of detraining (i.e., loss of fitness over time caused by inactivity).
TELEHEALTH
The pandemic has changed our way of life in many ways, including the way we use technology to treat and heal. Kids now have access to important therapies like physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy through telehealth.
As we wrap up our Back-to-School series, Debbie Lessard, director of Rehabilitation at Memorial Hospital West, discusses the benefits telehealth rehabilitation therapies are having on children. Some of these include reaching goals quicker, and saving time in the car.
