News & Events

August is back to school time but before we send our kids off, it is a good idea to review school safety issues to ensure a happy healthy school year.

Whether it is the brand new kindergartener, the 6th grader starting middle school, or the freshman starting high school, first days can be tough. Luckily for the young ones teachers understand this anxiety and can be a great resource to make this transition easier. Point out the positives of school, for instance seeing our old friends, meeting new friends. This can help alleviate some fear. Taking your child to school or having them ride with a friend is a good way to ease the first day jitters. Some children will dread going to school so much that they may feign an illness or their fear may be so great it is manifested into real discomforts. It is important to understand that this is due to anxiety, be patient and supportive. Seek advice from your doctor if necessary but in the end to encourage attendance in school.

When traveling to and from school it is important to make sure our kids our safe. Bus riders must wait at the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop. They should be in view of the bus driver at all times when getting on and off the bus and they should never walk around the bus. Bike riders must wear a helmet at all times. Ride on the right side of the road in the same direction as traffic and use hand signals. Obey all stop signs and traffic lights. When riding in the car seat belts must be worn and children must be in appropriate car/booster seats. It is recommended that children be in a booster seat until they are 4 foot 9 inches in height and over 8 years of age. Riding in the back seat is the safest. For our teenagers who may drive to school it is important to emphasize the use of seat belts. Distractions like cell phones, eating or drinking while driving, or other teen passengers in the car should be avoided in order to lessen the risk of accidents on the way to and from school. If your child walks to school make sure the route is safe. Responsible adults should be located at crosswalks. Most importantly children should not walk without an adult unless they are mature enough to be cautious of road traffic.

Participation in sports is always encouraged not only for physical activity but also to help with team building skills, increasing self esteem and a giving children and adolescents a sense of accomplishment. The state of Tennessee has mandated that all 7th and 9th graders undergo a full well child check up prior to participation in sports. We encourage ALL children to receive a yearly checkup. For those athletes that will be participating this summer/fall it is important to be aware of the risk of heat injury and stress while exercising. Children and adolescents do not adapt to extreme temperatures the same as adults. When the temperature and humidity increase, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke can occur. For days in which the temperature and/or humidity is high, it is recommended that athletes rest in the shade for a long period for every 15 minutes of exercise.  Before exercise participants should be well hydrated and during the activity drinking of cold tap water or sports drinks should be enforced even if they do not feel thirsty. Clothing should be lightweight, light colored and allow for the evaporation of sweat. Lastly, be aware of the signs of heat related illness which can be deadly and occur without warning. Some symptoms of heat related illness include, severe muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, headaches, extreme thirst, elevated body temperature, weakness, dizziness and agitation, convulsions, coma, drenching sweat with cold clammy skin or decreased sweating with hot dry skin. If any concern seek medical care immediately.

We at Centennial Pediatrics hope that all our kids have a safe and happy school year. The following information was adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you are interested in more information you may visit their website at www.aap.org where you can find further information on more Back to School tips.