aspirus.org
9
GOOD
health
can help kids miss
fewer days of school
and do better on
schoolwork. Here
are some ways
Susan Messerly,
DO, FAAP, a
pediatrician at
Aspirus Medford
Clinic, suggests to support kids’ health
and help them succeed in school.
Encourage your kids to:
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Get enough sleep—at least 10 hours a
night. Lack of sleep can cause problems
with learning, concentration and mood.
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Eat a nutritious breakfast. Studies
show that eating breakfast improves
students’ physical and mental
performance.
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Pack healthy lunches. Give kids
healthy food options, like yogurt or
celery with peanut butter.
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Say no to soda. Sugary drinks like
soda should be eliminated from kids’
diets. Encourage them to drink water
instead.
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Travel safely. Whether they walk, bike,
ride the bus or go by car, kids should
learn how to get to and from school
safely.
Check off a checkup
While mid-summer is the ideal
time for your child’s yearly physical
since most children are healthy in the
summer, preseason training for fall
sports that require a physical haven’t yet
begun, and plenty of appointments are
Stay or go?
How to know when
your child is too sick
to go to school
When your child isn’t
feeling well, you may wonder
whether it’s safe to send him
or her to school.
If you think your child is
contagious, it’s best to keep
him or her at home. If you’re
unsure, check with the child’s
primary care provider.
The American Academy of
Pediatrics also suggests you
keep your child home if he
or she:
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Would have trouble
participating in class.
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Has a fever.
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Has any of the following:
skin conditions such as
scabies or impetigo—at
least until the child has
received appropriate
treatment; head lice;
diarrhea or stools that
contain blood or mucus; or
vomiting that has occurred
two or more times during
the past 24 hours, unless
you know it wasn’t caused
by something contagious.
Ongoing crying, irritability,
sluggishness and trouble
breathing may be symptoms
of something serious. Be
sure to bring them to the
attention of your child’s
primary care provider.
Susan Messerly,
DO, FAAP
SICK ON A SCHOOL NIGHT?
Get care for minor illness and injuries fast
at Aspirus Medford Walk-In Clinic, open
Monday through Friday, 4 to 9 p.m., and
Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
IT’S BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIME!
Make
it fab
for kids
available, there’s still time to schedule this
important health exam.
If you haven’t crossed your child’s
annual physical off his or her back-
to-school to-do list yet, schedule an
appointment now.
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Gilman:
715-447-8293
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Medford:
715-748-2121
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Phillips:
715-339-4035
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Prentice:
715-428-2521
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Rib Lake:
715-427-5701
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Academy of
Pediatrics
Ruthie and Xavier (in back), stepchildren of Aspirus Medford Clinic
certified medical assistant Heidi Clark, and Clark’s nephews, Cole and
Carter Zenner
