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Article Category: Highlights

BacktoSchoolCare: Keeping Kids Healthy & Safe

Published on July 25, 2025

Last updated 10:46 AM July 25, 2025

Parent helping their child study at a desk.

A new school year is right around the corner. While kids may be the ones returning to the classroom, parents still have their own homework to do too: making sure their child has a healthy start.

Before heading back to school, Wellstar health experts say it’s more important than ever prioritize your child’s physical and emotional well-being.

“Parents can help their children be prepared for school by starting early,” said Wellstar Pediatrician Dr. Andrew Doyle. “Be sure to speak to your children and address any anxieties they may have now about the new school year.”

“Also, getting them scheduled to see their pediatrician for important screenings and immunizations will help them be their healthiest,” he shared.

Be sure to speak to your children and address any anxieties they may have now about the new school year. Also, getting them scheduled to see their pediatrician for important screenings and immunizations will help them be their healthiest.

- Dr. Andrew Doyle

Wellstar Pediatrician

Complete your child’s health homework

Set your child up for success this year by checking in on their well-being, and starting healthy habits before they go back to school.

  • Book medical appointments. Before the school year begins and schedules get hectic, book your child’s annual physical exam with their pediatrician, and other routine medical care such as dental and eye appointments.
  • Set routines. Structure your day so that it’s easier to transition to the school by creating set times to wake up, eat meals and go to bed.
  • Share medical and other important instructions. Let the school know if your child has any health concerns or unique needs like allergies or medications.
  • Practice and prepare good hygiene habits. Discuss habits that will help your child and others stay healthy, such as frequent handwashing and coughing or sneezing into their elbow.
  • Encourage questions and conversations. Ask questions and have frequent conversations with your child to ensure they feel comfortable heading into the new school year.
  • Limit screen time. Be sure to limit your child’s screen time an hour before their bedtime, so they can wake up well-rested and feeling their best.

Ways to be top of the class

After you’ve set your child up for a safe, healthy school year, take time to complete these other tasks before they head back to the classroom.

  • Finish summer assignments. Be sure your child completes any assignments, such as their summer reading list.
  • Complete school registration. Whether your child is returning to or starting a new school, find out what steps and paperwork are required to complete registration.
  • Get the right school supplies. Don’t delay in getting your child’s school supplies and be mindful of other items they may need, including school uniforms.
  • Talk about safety. Review important safety measures with your child, including memorizing important phone numbers and their home address.
  • Role play the day. Before your child’s first day of school, talk through the day with them and plan details in advance, including their schedule and after-school care.

Start back-to-school planning now so that your child—and your entire family—are ready to enter the school year feeling excited about returning to the classroom.

Find a Wellstar pediatrician close to you and book your child’s wellness exam today.

Tags

Andrew Edward Doyle 01 Pediatric Medicine KidCare
Related Articles
Photo of celery caterpillars. Text reads "5 Fun & Easy After-School Snacks. Family tested. Pediatrician approved."

Highlights

5 Fun and Easy After-School Snacks

By Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, Wellstar pediatrician

When school is in session, finding the perfect after-school snack that balances nutrition and deliciousness can feel like quite a task. As a board-certified Wellstar pediatrician, I understand the importance of fueling growing bodies with the right nutrients. With that, I'm excited to share five wholesome after-school snack ideas that are easy to make and fun for kids to eat. 

1. Celery Caterpillars

This creative snack recipe offers a good balance of protein from peanut butter, along with a variety of fruits and vegetables, providing essential vitamins and antioxidants for growing children.

What You’ll Need:
Peanut butter
Celery
Grapes
Blueberries
Grape tomatoes
Candy eyes

Directions:

  1. Fill stalks of celery with peanut butter.
  2. Place grapes, blueberries or grape tomatoes atop celery sticks. These will be the body and head of your caterpillars. 
  3. Apply peanut butter to the backs of candy eyes, then place eyes on grape, tomato or blueberry to create face.
  4. Optional: Cut thin matchsticks from a celery stick and place behind candy eyes to create the antennae. 

2. Apple Sailboats

This recipe is excellent for kids as it combines the crisp sweetness of apples, a good source of fiber and vitamins, with protein-rich peanut butter and the added crunch of Cheerios to create a tasty and nutritionally balanced snack. Toothpicks may be a choking hazard for children, so supervise as your family makes and enjoys this snack. 

What You’ll Need:
One apple
Peanut butter
Cheerios
Low-fat cheese
Toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Cut apple in half and remove the apple’s core. 
  2. Spread peanut butter across the flat side of your apple halves. 
  3. Place Cheerios on top of peanut butter spread. 
  4. Using a thick slice of cheese, cut triangular sails for your apple boats. 
  5. Attach sail to boat using toothpick.

3. Krazy Kabobs 

This krazy kabob recipe is a playful and nutritious way to encourage children to enjoy a variety of fruits. Filled with hydrating watermelon, sweet cantaloupe, refreshing honeydew, juicy pineapple, antioxidant-rich blueberries and grapes, these skewers provide a spectrum of vitamins and flavors, promoting a fun and healthy snacking experience for young taste buds.

What You’ll Need:
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Pineapple
Blueberries
Grapes
Wood skewers
Fruit-shape cutters (stars, hearts, etc.)

Directions:

  1. Cut horizontal slices of your larger fruits (watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew). 
  2. Use your fruit cutters to cut shapes out of your fruit slices. 
  3. Place any creative combination of fruits or fruit shapes onto your skewer to create the ultimate krazy kabob.

4. Veggie Cars

This wholesome veggie car recipe is a fun way to encourage children to enjoy their vegetables. With vibrant baby peppers and baby cucumbers, the snack not only provides essential vitamins, but also engages kids in a fun, hands-on experience of assembling their own veggie cars, promoting both healthy eating and interactive play. Toothpicks may be a choking hazard for children.

What You’ll Need:
10 baby peppers
Six baby cucumbers
Toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Slice cucumbers into half-inch rounds, discarding the ends. These will be your wheels. 
  2. Place two toothpicks through each pepper. The toothpicks will serve as the axels to your cars. 
  3. Push one cucumber round onto the ends of each toothpick to form the full car.

5. Banana Lollipops 

These banana lollipops offer a delightful and healthier alternative to traditional sweets. With the natural sweetness of bananas and the richness of dark chocolate, the recipe makes for an enjoyable, nutritious after-school snack for kids of all ages.  

What You’ll Need:
One banana
Chopped dark chocolate bar
Popsicle sticks
Wax paper and baking sheet

Directions:
  1. Unpeel banana and slice into inch-thick rounds, discarding the ends. 
  2. Insert one popsicle stick into each round. 
  3. Place chopped dark chocolate into microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted. 
  4. Dip each banana round into chocolate.
  5. Place popsicles onto wax paper-covered baking sheet and let freeze for 45 minutes.  

As a pediatrician dedicated to the well-being of children, these snack ideas offer more than delicious bites—they pave the way for a lifetime of healthy habits. Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables, these recipes not only provide essential vitamins and minerals, but also engage young minds in the joy of preparing and enjoying wholesome foods. Learn more about how to keep your kids happy and healthy by scheduling an appointment with a world-class Wellstar pediatrician today. 

A graduate of New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Dr. Joanna Dolgoff is a board-certified pediatrician with Wellstar.

Photo of Dr. Joanna Dolgoff. Text reads "Joanna Dolgoff, MD, pediatrics. Dr. Joanna Dolgoff is a board-certified pediatrician with Wellstar."

Wellstar’s content, and all related media, are provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Consult a pediatrician for the diet that’s best for your child.

Keep reading
Illustration of parent speaking with child

Highlights

BackToSchoolCare: Helping Your Child With Stress & Anxiety

The new school year comes with a lot of change for children—a different classroom, teacher, peers, learning material and routine. These changes can cause stress and anxiety in some children and teens, especially if they struggle in school and dread going back.

How to respond to stress

Kids and teens of all ages can feel stress at times, and that’s normal. It’s essentially a signal to get ready for what’s coming. With typical back-to-school stress, a parent or caretaker can help adolescents start the school year with confidence—and gain important coping skills—with the following tips.

  1. Listen and validate your child or teen’s feelings.
  2. Talk through what they can expect of everything from the morning routine to the bus ride to the school day and dismissal.
  3. Visit the school and the classroom, especially if the child is younger or is new to the school.
  4. Check in with your child about how the year is going so far.
  5. Look ahead at what the rest of the year could be like.

Recognize chronic stress and anxiety

Stress can be good for kids. But on the other hand, chronic stress and anxiety that lasts for more than a few weeks aren’t healthy. In recent years, Wellstar Pediatrician Dr.  Andrew Doyle has noticed a growing number of adolescents, especially females, have anxiety.

“It’s normal to have stress; it’s not normal to have anxiety,” Dr. Doyle said. “Understandably you get nervous with new situations that make you uncomfortable, but you’re still able to do it and have fun. Significant anxiety starts to interfere with a child or teen’s ability to do what they need to do—homework, school, social situations. That’s when it’s helpful to get it checked out.”

In addition to having difficulty participating in and completing activities, signs of anxiety in children and adolescents can include difficulty sleeping, abdominal pain, headaches, significant changes in appetite or an explosive temper.

Effective treatments include lifestyle changes, medication and therapy. For example, lifestyle changes can include getting enough sleep, exercising, eating a healthy diet and planning downtime from social media and life responsibilities.

“Therapy and role-playing can help you recognize your stressors and think through how to handle them ahead of time so you can face those situations,” he said. “For example, on exam day, start with positive self-talk. You can say, ‘I’m feeling nervous. I have a headache and an upset stomach. I know that’s because I’m anxious. I’ve taken many tests before and I can do this, so I don’t need to worry about it.’ Breathing exercises before the test can help you stay calm.”

Start the year strong with a wellness screening

Another way to begin the school year right is to check in on your child’s emotional and physical health. Wellstar pediatricians will get to know your child and help them live their healthiest.

“I try to do whatever I can to help our patients and families so that when they leave my office, I've given them something to hold onto that is going to make life better for them,” Dr. Doyle said.

Find a pediatrician near you and book your child’s back to school exam so they can start the year strong.

Keep reading
Doctor giving child high five

Highlights

BackToSchoolCare: Checking in on Your Child’s Health

As you prepare for the new school year, give your child a positive start by completing your own homework assignment—checking in on their health.

Before heading back to the classroom, prioritize your child’s physical and emotional well-being with a visit to your family’s Wellstar pediatrician. Our compassionate pediatricians share your goal of keeping children healthy as they grow.

“I believe in treating the whole child. What I mean by that is, of course, their physical health is very important, but I also feel that their emotional health is very important,” said Wellstar Pediatrician Dr. Brandi Lewis. “My goal is for all my patients to be resilient, happy and healthy. My role is to work with families to accomplish that goal.”

Preventative check-ups and screenings help children stay ahead of health issues, and our pediatricians will ensure your child is up to date on their vaccines and discuss which immunizations are needed to prevent disease. Your family’s pediatrician can also help you navigate health requirements at your child’s school.

Heading back to school healthy

Teach your child healthy habits so they can feel their best throughout the school year.

Practice good hygiene.

Show children how to wash their hands properly and remind them to do it frequently. Do not send your children to school if they are sick. 

Get moving.

Children should have about 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. Staying active can be a fun family activity—ride bikes around the block, play tag in the yard or go for a walk in the park.

Eat healthy.

Teach children about good nutrition by encouraging them to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and limiting sugary drinks.

Get plenty of sleep.

Children aged 3 to 5 should get about 10 to 13 hours of sleep a day. Children 6 to 12 years old should get nine to 12 hours, and teenagers need about 8 to 10 hours. 
 
While the end of summer is often a busy time, planning ahead now will help ensure the whole family has a healthy, successful year. Find a Wellstar pediatrician near you at wellstar.org/kidcare.
Keep reading
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