UAB experts provide information on four health care appointments that should be on every parent’s back-to-school checklist.
Written by: Brianna Hoge, Anna Jones and Hannah Echols
Media Contact: Brianna Hoge
UAB experts provide information on four health care appointments that should be on every parent’s back-to-school checklist. As summer winds down, parents of school-age children may be wondering what to do before the first bell of the 2021 school year rings. Experts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham recommend four things that should be on parents’ checklists to ensure that their child is ready to hit the books.
Appointment with pediatrician
Before heading back to school, kids could benefit from an annual check-up appointment with their pediatrician.
“All school-age children should have an annual exam by their pediatrician,” said David Kimberlin, MD, co-director of UAB and Children’s of Alabama’s Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “The assessment is comprehensive and covers both physical and mental health.”
Kimberlin explains that the annual exams are even more critical this year because of the cancellation of many visits last year during the height of the pandemic, especially those scheduled last summer and fall.
To keep kids healthy throughout the school year, especially during the pandemic, Kimberlin strongly recommends that children who meet the age requirement — currently 12 and older — get a COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to their usual vaccines, which are discussed below.
Appointment with a dentist
Oral hygiene is extremely important to a child’s overall health, and teaching healthy habits at a young age can set children on the path to a lifetime of excellent oral hygiene. It’s recommended that children have their first dental visit by age 1, but if they haven’t established a dental home before starting school, summer is a good time to start.
“It’s best for a child to have a home dentist who sees them regularly at least twice a year,” said Stephen Mitchell MS, DMD, associate professor at UAB’s School of Dentistry. “If a child hasn’t seen a dentist or hasn’t seen one in years, we recommend scheduling a visit to make sure they don’t have any dental problems that may be causing them discomfort and distracting them from learning while at school.” .
David Kimberlin, MD, Stephen Mitchell MS, DMD, and Tamara Oechslin, OD, Ph.D.Mitchell says nutrition is vital to maintaining a child’s oral health and encourages parents to reduce the amount of sugary foods and drinks children consume throughout the school year. An easy way to prevent tooth decay is to replace any sugary drink with water, plain milk, or any beverage that has 10 calories per serving or less.
“We want to take precautions to prevent tooth decay, but that doesn’t mean we have to cut all sugary drinks and foods out of their diet,” Mitchell said. “When fun events or special occasions like a birthday party or Halloween come around, let them have fun and have fun. After the event is over, parents can help them get back to their daily lives.”
To prepare kids for a visit to the dentist, Mitchell encourages parents to avoid making a big fuss about it. Showing them videos of siblings, parents and other children going to the dentist can help them relax and take away the mystery.
“As for nervous kids, often the more information you give them, the more time they have to prepare and the more nervous they get,” Mitchell said. “Wait a little closer to the appointment time to tell them, then act as nonchalant as possible. Usually, children react to their parents’ emotions, so if they see that their parents are calm about it, then they are more likely to be calm too.”
Cleaning visits are a simple way to make a child’s teeth look and feel great. By implementing some of these tips, parents can help make every visit fun and easy.
A date for the eyes
Getting an eye exam before the school year starts is a great way to make sure vision problems won’t prohibit learning in the classroom.
“Vision screenings are very good at determining whether a child can see the board at the front of a classroom,” said Tamara Oechslin, OD, Ph.D., assistant professor at the UAB School of Optometry. “A comprehensive eye exam will also look for the ability to see well up close and measure how well the two eyes work as a team and track together, which is especially important for children who are learning to read and reading to learn.”
Throughout the school year, Oechslin suggests parents watch for these behaviors, as they could be signs that a child may need an eye exam:
- Strabismus
- Watery eyes or dryness
- Complaints of headaches
- Covering the eye when reading/doing near work
“Young children’s eyes grow and change quickly, and it’s best to make sure everything is done right,” Oechslin said. “Additionally, given the additional work and screen time over the past year, it’s important to ensure our children’s eyes are healthy.”
Vaccination appointment
By far the best way to prevent children from vaccine-preventable diseases is to vaccinate them, and summer is a great opportunity to make sure children are up-to-date on the recommended vaccines for their age group.
Erin Delaney, MD, and Sameera Davuluri, MD“Vaccines help provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases,” said Erin Delaney, MD, assistant professor, vice president of clinical affairs and quality, clinical medical director for Family Medicine Clinic at UAB Hospital-Highlands and the ambulatory medicine quality officer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. “By getting your child vaccinated, you’re not only protecting your child from disease, you’re also protecting classmates, friends, family and others in the community.”
Immunizations are the best defense against the spread of disease and ensure the best immune response for the child. They work by teaching a person’s immune system to recognize a virus or bacteria before exposure, so that when the child comes into contact with that virus or bacteria in the future, their immune system can fight it off without the person getting sick. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect a child from up to 16 serious diseases and protect their long-term health.
“When it comes to the safety of vaccines, there’s a lot of evidence and information available that proves they’re safe, and there’s a lack of information that shows otherwise,” said Sameera Davuluri, MD, clinical medical director at UAB’s. Hoover Primary Clinic and associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. “When we treat patients in our practice, our treatment recommendations are based on scientific evidence. The same is true when it comes to vaccines. We recommend vaccines for our patients based on scientific evidence.”
For children who may be slightly nervous about getting their vaccines, Delaney and Davuluri say that showing support from parents is very important. They encourage parents to take the time to explain to children how vaccines protect them from something that could harm them and to reward them with something they enjoy after they have received their shots.
For a list of vaccines by age group recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here. To schedule a vaccination appointment, contact your child’s local health care provider or county health department.
