Good Study and Homework Habits

Now that many of your kids are in school, the real work begins. Start the year off great with some great tips from the AAP . Let us know if you have any other great tips to share with our patients!

Developing Good Study and Homework Habits

• Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy.
• Set aside ample time for homework.
• Establish a household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time.
• Supervise computer and internet use.
• Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.
• Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.
• If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help her yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child's teacher first

For complete article http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/school/pages/Developing-Good-Homework-Habits.aspx

**American Academy of Pediatrics

Making the First day of School Easier

School is back in or.....some kids are about to start or already started! What a fun and exciting time for your child. Here are some great tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics that might help make the transition from summer back to school.

Most children are anxious and excited on the first day of school each year. You can help make the day easier for your youngster by keeping the following guidelines in mind:

• Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She will see old friends. She will meet new friends. Refresh her memory about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.

• Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will be making an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as com­fortable as possible.

• Review all your child's accomplishments from last year, and talk about the kinds of interesting things she will learn in the months ahead.

• Buy her something (perhaps a pen or pencil) that will remind her you are thinking of her while she is at school, or put a note in her lunch-box.

• Reassure your child that if any problems arise at school, you will help re­solve them. (If problems do occur, get involved as soon as possible.)

• Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus. If your child is older, have her offer to walk to school or wait at the bus stop with a new or younger child.

• If your child is not going to ride a school bus and you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up the first day.

• Encourage her to look for new students in her classroom or in the play­ground, invite them to join the group for a game, and ask them about their interests.

• After school, show your child some special attention and affection. Give her a hug and ask what happened at school. Did she have fun? Did she make any new friends? Does she need any additional school supplies (notebooks, rulers, erasers) that you can shop for together?

In addition to the suggestions listed above, your child may need some extra support if she is starting a new school. Here are some suggestions to make the transition easier.

1. Talk with your child about her feelings, both her excitement and her con­cerns, about the new school.
2. Visit the school with your child in advance of the first day. Teachers and staff are usually at school a few days before the children start. Peek into your child's classroom, and if possible, meet the teacher and principal. You might be able to address some of your child's concerns at that time. She may have no questions until she actually sees the building and can vi­sualize what it will be like. (When you formally register your child in the new school, bring her immunization record and birth certificate; usually school records can be sent directly from school to school once you sign a "release of information" form.)
3. Try to have your child meet a classmate before the first day so they can get acquainted and play together, and so your child will have a friendly face to look for when school begins.                             
4. Do not build up unrealistic expectations about how wonderful the new school will be, but convey a general sense of optimism about how things will go for your child at the new school. Remind her that teachers and other students will be making an extra effort to make her feel welcome.
5. If your child sees another student or a group engaged in an activity she is interested in, encourage her to ask if she can participate.
6. As soon as you can, find out what activities are available for your child in addition to those that occur during school itself. Is there a back-to-school picnic or party planned? Can she join a soccer team? (For community sports programs, sign-ups often begin weeks or even months before the start of the season.)

During the first few weeks at a new school, your child's teacher will proba­bly conduct some informal assessments. You should be able to get some idea of how your child's academic and social adjustments are going at that time.

*Article from American Academy of Pediatrics 8/23/2010

School Time!

Can you believe Summer is already over and it is already time for school to start?  Well, with school, always seems to come immunizations!  Every year there is always some confusion as to what immunizations children need and if your child is up to date.  The following are the immunization requirements for the state of Utah:

*A student born AFTER July 1, 1993

5 DTP/DTaP/DT - 4 doses if 4th dose was given on/after the 4th birthday

4 Polio* - 3 doses if 3rd dose was given on/after the 4th birthday

2 Measles


2 Mumps


2 Rubella

3 Hepatitis B

A student born AFTER July 1, 1996


5 DTP/DTaP/DT - 4 doses if 4th dose was given on/after the 4th birthday

4 Polio* - 3 doses if 3rd dose was given on/after the 4th birthday

2 Measles

2 Mumps

2 Rubella

3 Hepatitis B

1 Varicella (chickenpox) -history of disease is acceptable, parent must sign verification statement

2 Hepatitis A

*Polio - The 4th dose of polio vaccine administered ON or AFTER August 7, 2009 must be given at a minimum age of 4 years AND a minimum interval of 6 months between doses 3 and 4. The 4th dose of polio administered PRIOR to August 7, 2009 will fall under the previous recommendation with a minimum interval of 4 weeks between doses 3 and 4.

SEVENTH GRADE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A student born AFTER July 1, 1993 and entering the 7th grade must have the following vaccines:

1 Tdap booster -Td may be given for the Tdap booster to satisfy the 7th grade requirement

1 Varicella (chickenpox) -history of disease is acceptable, parent must sign verification statement*

3 Hepatitis B

*If a student is 13+ years of age, two doses of Varicella vaccine should be given at least four weeks apart.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS
(Includes children in a licensed day care center, nursery or preschool, child care facility, family home care, or Head Start Program)

Diphtheria Polio

Tetanus Haemophilus Influenzae type b

Pertussis Hepatitis A

Measles Hepatitis B

Mumps Pneumococcal

Rubella Varicella (chickenpox)

NOTE: Rotavirus and Influenza vaccines are recommended, but are not required for students in early childhood programs.

Children attending early childhood programs are required to be immunized appropriately for age. This means a child has received all of the doses of each vaccine appropriate for the child's age. Children should be immunized according to current immunization schedules.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS ENTERING KINDERGARTEN

5 DTaP/DT

4 Polio* (3 doses, if 3rd dose was given on/after the 4th birthday)

2 Measles, Mumps, Rubella

3 Hepatitis B

2 Hepatitis A

1 Varicella (chickenpox) – history of disease is acceptable;

A parent must sign the verification statement on the school immunization record

Just a reminder that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children get a well child examination yearly.  Our office requires a well child exam within the last year to do immunizations without seeing a physician.  Please remember to schedule these visits in advance as our doctors can book out 4-12 weeks!  If you have any questions regarding immunization requirements or need a copy of your child's immunization records, feel free to contact the office!

*Information provided by http://www.immunize-utah.org/

Flu Mist Available!

Call our office now to schedule an appointment!  As of right now, we only have the FluMist available for healthy children ages 2 years and up.

*Who Should Get Vaccinated:

On February 24, 2010, vaccine experts voted that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year starting with the 2010-2011 influenza season.  CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted for "universal" flu vaccination in the U.S. to expand protection against the flu to more people.

While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, it's especially important that the following groups get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications:

1.  Pregnant women
2.  Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
3.  People 50 years of age and older
4.  People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
5.  People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
6.  People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

• Health care workers
• Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
• Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Who Should Not Be Vaccinated

There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician.  These include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination
• People who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
• People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated)

The "flu shot" - an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm.  The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.

The nasal-spray flu vaccine (FluMist) - a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for "live attenuated influenza vaccine" or FluMist.)  LAIV (FluMist) is approved for use in healthy people 2-50 years of age who are not pregnant.

Again, at this time, we only have FluMist available.  We will keep you updated when we get the rest of our flu vaccine in!

*Information provide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine"

Coming Soon!

Keep checking back for updates, tips of the day, and other fun stuff from the doctors and staff of Willow Creek Pediatrics!