Schools are starting to begin their academic year with virtual, in-person or hybrid learning for students. Whether your student is preparing to return to school this fall or are going to be learning at home for the time being, you should take some time to discuss safety measures with your children for when they are back in a classroom environment, including:

Washing their hands properly, every time

Making sure your child knows how to wash their hands properly is important to keeping them safe and healthy. Teach them to:

• Wet their hands with warm, running water before applying antibacterial soap
• Lather the entire hand, including the backs, between fingers and under nails
• Scrub for at least 30 seconds. In order to get the timing right, have them sing the Happy Birthday song or the ABCs while scrubbing
• Rinse with warm, running water

Adjusting to wearing a mask for the duration of the school day

When your child returns to school, there will likely be mask regulations in place requiring students to wear them for most of the day, with exceptions during lunch or when they are getting water. Because wearing masks may take some getting used to, your child may need to take some time to get used to having one on for extended periods of time. To train them to have their mask on, have them wear it as they do different activities for longer periods of time throughout the day. This includes playing, reading a book, riding their bike or running errands in public areas. Teach your child how to properly put a mask on and take it off. In order to make it seem more fun, have them pick fabric or characters to have on their masks so their personality shines through.        

Decide when to keep your child home from school

With the pandemic continuing, you may be more inclined to keep your child home when they don’t feel well. If they begin to spike even a low fever, exhibit a cough that won’t stop or have a head or stomach ache, consider keeping them home until at least 24 hours after symptoms subside. If your school has determined that in-person learning will take place, they will likely send home additional information on sick policies and when to keep your child home. 

School Physicals & Pediatric Urgent Care in Natick, MA

If your child is in need of a school physical or urgent care, visit AFC Urgent Care Natick today! Our center is open seven days a week with extended hours into the evening to accommodate your family’s schedule. For more information, please call 508-650-6208.