Now that the school year is here, parents can stop fretting about the hazards that might pop up during unstructured summer days and start worrying about safety in the classroom. Concerned about possible safety and health issues that might pop up at school, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has released a series of tips that citizens throughout California can put into action to keep their kids safe.
There are certain things that parents can look out for before their children head out. One doctor warns that a child being overly exhausted could be indicative of sleep apnea or some other type of breathing condition. You can check in on your child in the night to see if snoring is taking place. It if is, you might bring your kid in to a sleep specialist to get checked out.
If you notice that your child is exhibiting signs of anxiety, you may try to alleviate the stress they’re feeling by getting your child into a routine and speaking with them about their day. Perhaps they’re worried about a class bully; if that’s the case, tell them they can come to you at anytime or talk to teachers when bullying occurs.
Make sure your child gets a physical examination at some point toward the beginning of the school year if they haven’t already. Such a test should reveal vision or hearing troubles that are important to correct early on. And should your child suffer from some other type of medical issue, you can speak with a doctor to learn the proper medication regimen. From there, you can talk with the school to make sure there’s an official who knows about your child’s condition and can react if an emergency takes place. That could mean an appropriate response during an asthma attack or some type of allergic reaction, either of which could endanger a child if not addressed immediately.
Safety should also extend to outside the classroom when children head out for recess. Playground injuries are perhaps the most common form of injury to take place at an elementary school, and students should be encouraged to play on the various pieces of equipment in the manner they were designed for. Stressing the right way to approach playground equipment over the summer and at home can help encourage the right behavior at school. If you have concerns, you might bring them up with a teacher or school official.
Finally, protect your children by keeping your kids up to date with vaccinations appropriate for their age demographic. A doctor should be able to advise you on what those would be so that your child isn’t endangered by other children who may be carrying some type of virus.