AdventHealth Doctors Share What Families Should Know as Kids Head Back to School

The countdown is on to the start of school for Florida students and their families. It's a time that brings a lot of excitement, but no one wants their child to get sick at the start of the year. However, doctors at AdventHealth say there are steps families can take now to make sure their child stays as healthy as possible.

Medical experts say getting a back-to-school physical examination and making sure children are up to date with their recommended vaccinations is critical to keeping them safe and guarding them against contagious and preventable diseases. All school systems require certain immunizations for children to attend classes.

Courtesy AdventHealth

"It's important for everyone to know that vaccines are very safe," said Dr. Victoria Selley, chief Medical officer of AdventHealth Sebring, Lake Placid and Wauchula. "Vaccines help the body's immune system fight infections, and it can take weeks for that protection to develop, so getting those required vaccines on time is very important in helping protect them at school."

The vaccinations a child should be getting vary based on age, but they should be available by scheduling an appointment with their primary care physician. Some school districts may also host immunization events to help children in the community. Doctors also recommend students receive a flu shot and Covid-19 vaccine.

According to the CDC, during the two school years following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, routine kindergarten vaccination coverage dropped by two percent nationwide from 95 percent to 93 percent and by as much as 10 percent in some areas. That is the lowest that kindergarten routine vaccination coverage dropped nationally in the last decade.

Influenza vaccination coverage also dropped five percent among children six months to 17 years old. CDC officials say drops in vaccine coverage put students at greater risk for illness, absenteeism and lower academic achievement from missing even a few days of school.

"It's so critical to make sure our children and families have the best protection possible from all these illnesses, so we can potentially minimize any long-term consequences from them," Selley said.

In addition to the flu and Covid-19, several other common illnesses can be spread around when school is back in session and children are around new classmates. Those include the common cold, stomach flu, strep throat, hand, foot and mouth disease and head lice.

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Healthy kids depend upon their parents to keep them immunized from potentially dangerous diseases.

Medical experts say most common child illnesses will run their course on their own and can be treated with over-the-counter medicines. However, if they have prolonged symptoms or a fever, a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater, they may need to see a doctor.

AdventHealth doctors also say for many of these illnesses, the greatest defense is good handwashing and proper coughing and sneezing etiquette. This includes teaching your child to cough or sneeze into a clean tissue and throw it away soon after using it. If they do not have a tissue, they can cough or sneeze into the crook of their elbow instead of their hands.