Vital KC

Hello parents, guardians, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles. Hello to everyone try to get a child ready to go back to school. I'm Leslie Carto, and when I'm not writing Vital KC articles, I'm trying to get my children to listen to me. Here's a list I complied to get my kiddos and yours ready for a great academic year.

If your child is getting up just in time for lunch, don't wait until the night before school starts to iron out that sleep schedule. “We suggest children in elementary school get nine to twelve hours of sleep each night,” said pediatrician Joanne Loethen, MD. As children hit middle and high school, they require eight to ten hours a night.”

Help your child ease into a earlier sleep schedule. Each night, for the next few weeks bump their bedtime up by 15-30 minutes and wake them up that much earlier.

“Parents should feel comfortable, not judged, talking to their child's pediatrician about any sleep issues they are having. We're there to offer solutions that will let a kiddo be well rested and ready to learn,” said Dr. Loethen.

Here are some other steps to consider in the weeks leading up to school's start:

• Establish a soothing bedtime routine. Bath or books. Meditation or journaling. Help your child calm their body and mind for bedtime.
• Be consistent. Try to keep 'school sleep hours' on weekends and holiday breaks.
• Check your watch before you fill your cup. Avoid caffeinated beverages for at least six hours before bedtime.
• Take a look inward. How's your sleep routine? Modeling healthy sleep habits is a good way to keep everyone on track.

Back to school wellness checks

A few years back, a nurse at my children's pediatrician office told me that the staff has a party every fall to celebrate completing a mountain of back-to-school forms. I get it. I just have two children and it feels like there's always a form missing.

But having a form signed isn't the only reason to pop into the pediatrician's office. Doctors says back to school wellness checks are an important step in making sure that children are meeting milestones. It's a chance for older children to build trust with their doctor, and it allows you to knock out any vaccinations you might have missed.

UH Pharmacist, Lauren Chambers, PharmD says children aged four to six years old can expect their last doses of D-TAP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), polio, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and chicken pox vaccine. “Luckily they combined the vaccines, so it's two pokes instead of four,” said Dr. Chambers.

Around 11-years old, children will get a D-TAP booster shot. This is the time for parents to talk with their pediatrician about the HPV and Meningococcal vaccines.

And the CDC recommends that children, from six months and older, receive an annual flu shot and COVID-19 booster shot.

Back to school is also a good time to talk about your children's mental health needs

Starting a new school, or even a new classroom can make anyone anxious. Add a run-in with a school bully or the fear of poor performance, and you've got a lot for a young guy or gal to handle.

Mental Health America has information, in English and Spanish, about everything from building self-esteem to navigating social media. If you notice your child is avoiding activities or people that he or she used to enjoy, having a change of sleep/appetite, feeling restless, or has difficulty concentrating, talk to his or her pediatrician about it. For some students, mental health can be a matter of life or death.

Need to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician or family medicine physician? University Health has several convenient locations.

The UH Primary Care Center for Family Health is located on the 4^th floor of the main hospital building at 2301 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108. Call 816.404.4862 for an appointment.

Pediatric appointments are available at University Health Community Care Linwood, which is adjacent to Linwood YMCA/James B. Nutter Sr. Community Center. Call 816.404.6700 for an appointment.

University Health Primary Care Bess Truman Family Medicine Center is located in Eastern Jackson County at 7900 Lee's Summit Rd, Kansas City, MO 64139. Call 816.404.7650 for an appointment.

The University Health outreach team, Community Health Strategies and Innovation, has created a simple checklist of things to do when preparing for back to school. Feel free to download it here.