GET PREPPED FOR A HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE SCHOOL YEAR

Board-Certified Pediatrician Provides Tips for Parents to Help Their Kids Prepare for Back-to-School

BACKGROUND:
For parents of kids of all ages, back-to-school season is the perfect time to take stock of your child’s physical and mental health to help prepare them for a successful school year. Starting in a new school or classroom can be an exciting or stressful experience for kids. Parents should recognize not all stressful emotions are bad and dealing with stress is an important step in a child’s developmental growth.

TIPS ON PREPARING FOR A HEALTHY SCHOOL YEAR:

  • Consult with your pediatrician. Let your pediatrician know at their yearly physical if your child will be involved in sports during the school year. Sports physicals are important to check your child’s heart and mental health before they engage in activities.
  • Create an Asthma or Allergy Action Plan. For kids with allergies or asthma, have your pediatrician fill out an Asthma or Allergy Action Plan. This document will ensure the school knows what steps to take when your child has an asthma flare or allergic reaction. Your pediatrician can also sign a medication release form and provide tips to manage the costs of inhalers and other medications. GoodRx offers discounts for all FDA approved inhalers and medications; a discount can save up to 80% on your out-of-pocket cost.
  • Recognize the signs of learning difficulties. Conditions that affect children’s learning ability, such as ADHD or dyslexia, can develop at any time, and the signs are not always obvious.
  • Set digital media boundaries. Studies have shown 1 in 4 adolescents are constantly connected to their phone, and the pandemic drove an increase in screen time among kids of all ages. Back-to-school season is an opportune time to reevaluate your child’s media boundaries to ensure it is not impacting their writing or communication skills.

Dr. Preeti Parikh, Executive Medical Director at GoodRx and a board-certified pediatrician in New York City, shared tips parents can use to prepare their children for a healthy school year. Dr. Parikh also discussed why staying ahead of stress by practicing mindfulness techniques with children can help avoid it manifesting into worrisome physical symptoms.  

For more information please visit: www.goodrx.com/health

MORE ABOUT DR. PREETI PARIKH:
Dr. Preeti Parikh is the Executive Medical Director at GoodRx. She is a board-certified pediatrician practicing at Westside Pediatrics, is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and is an American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson.

Dr. Parikh graduated from Columbia University and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and she completed postgraduate training at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Parikh combines her passions of preventative medicine, advocacy, and patient education to empower people to achieve their optimal health. She has contributed to media outlets including Bump.com, Parents.com, CBSNews, and many others.

Produced for: GoodRx