Nevada's Leading Imaging Practice Share Top Resources to Help Kids Start the New School Year Strong

August is a busy month for parents, teachers, and childcare providers. Schools are returning to session, and National Awareness Immunization Month is encouraging parents to ensure their child is properly vaccinated against common childhood illnesses. To help with back-to-school preparations, the Desert Radiology team has taken this month to focus on back-to-school readiness for children and teens. We are passionate about the Southern Nevada community's health, and we are helping families start the new school year strong by sharing vaccine resources and a list of best child-health practices to get them ready for their first day back.

Before school begins this fall, children are required to be properly vaccinated against common childhood diseases like chicken pox, measles, and polio. Although each state has different vaccination requirements for children prior to their first day, Nevada residents can visit immunizenevada.org for a comprehensive list of the mandatory vaccinations pre-k, middle school, and high school students need for the 2022-2023 school year. An immunization records tool for checking vaccine history is also available on the website for parents to use to aid in their child's immunization plan. We recommend parents use this tool to determine what vaccines are still needed for their child so they can plan out necessary doctor visits before school begins.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout Southern Nevada, we also encourage parents to take preventative steps to reduce their child's risk for COVID-19. Although they aren't required for public school admittance, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends COVID-19 vaccines for eligible children aged 6 months and older and COVID-19 boosters for children aged 5 and older. CDC-approved vaccines are still the most reliable way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and are the best way to reduce the severity of symptoms if the disease is contracted.

Additional steps you can take to make sure your child or teen is ready for their first day of school include:

• Returning them to a normal sleep schedule no later than two weeks before their first day back.
• Creating a nutrition plan for their meals at home and at school to ensure they are getting the essential vitamins and minerals they need for healthy growth.
• Encouraging them to regularly wash their hands before and after eating food and after playing outside.
• Checking that their backpack weighs no more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight and ensuring they are using both straps to help evenly distribute weight on their backs.
• Watching them for symptoms of head lice, the common cold, the flu, and other ailments commonly transmitted by large groups of children.

The Desert Radiology team is committed to the well-being of Southern Nevadans and their families all year round. We understand how busy families are this time of the year, and we know every child's family wants them to begin the new school year healthy and strong. We sincerely hope these resources aid in your family's back-to-school plans, and we can't wait to see healthy kids learning and playing at school again.