Back-to-school health tips: What parents need to know

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - As students return to classrooms for the 2026 school year, healthcare educators are urging parents to prioritize annual wellness checks, open communication and close observation of their child’s behavior during the first days back.

Annual wellness checks and immunizations

Courtney Schauder, a health engagement consultant for United Healthcare, said making annual wellness visits a priority is one of the most effective ways to stay on top of a child’s physical health. She said those visits cover key markers including heart rate, height and weight to ensure children are growing appropriately.

“Each year, it helps you kind of prepare and know what’s coming ahead,” Schauder said. “It helps you not miss one of those and it just gives you time to actually have conversation if you’re interested to ask the physician any questions about the risks, the benefits.”

Schauder said annual checkups also provide an opportunity to confirm immunizations are up to date and to address any emotional or behavioral health concerns, as well as hearing. She also recommended parents speak with their child’s doctor about getting a flu shot in early fall to get ahead of flu season.

Schauder said back pain from backpacks is another physical health concern parents should monitor. She said a backpack should be comfortable, fitted and well-balanced, and encouraged parents to advocate for their child by checking which books are actually needed for each class on a given day.

Sleep, nutrition and screen time

Schauder said parents should monitor sleep and nutrition as part of their child’s overall health. She said balancing lunches with whole grain bread and fresh fruit supports overall development and helps children feel full, while limiting added sugars, saturated fats and high sodium is also recommended.

“If the lunch is packed and that’s what’s in there and it’s in front of your child, the chances of them consuming it is higher than if that wasn’t the case,” she said.

On sleep, Schauder said setting boundaries around screen time is critical for how children learn and grow. She said screens are recommended to be kept outside of bedrooms.

Checking in on mental health

Schauder said parents should be mindful of when they check in with their child, noting that timing can affect the quality of responses.

“When do you get your best answers from your child? That may not be as soon as they walk in the door or you pick them up in the carpool line or they get off the bus,” Schauder said. “That may be like that special bedtime hour where they’re a little bit more relaxed, you’re relaxed, and you can really ask a couple open-ended questions.”

Sharon Draeger, a retired educator and project manager for the Behavioral Pediatrics Resource Center, said the first few days of school are the most critical for parents to observe their child’s behavior. She said signs such as not wanting to get ready for school or reluctance to attend can be early indicators of stress or anxiety.

Draeger also said open-ended questions are the most effective way to learn how a child’s day went. She says the first question she asks her grandchildren when picking them up from school are open ended and avoid responses like yes-or-no or good-or-bad answers.

“What was your favorite thing at school today? And then the second question is, what did you like the least about school today?” Draeger said. “And that gives them an opportunity to talk about what those things are that might be bothering them or maybe some of the things that are their favorite things.”

Draeger said parents who want to help ease back-to-school anxiety can take their child to visit the school ahead of time, show them the playground or look up the school online so the child can see it before the first day.

She also noted that the transition from elementary school to high school — where students switch classrooms for every class and take on more independence — can create additional stress and anxiety. She said teachers have procedures in place to help students navigate that transition.

Draeger added that a licensed medical professional must diagnose conditions such as autism or ADHD, and cautioned against misreading behavior. She said a child tapping a pencil before or during math may simply be anxiety, and that missing an autism diagnosis can have lasting consequences.

Parent-teacher communication and bullying

Draeger said the relationship between parents and teachers is a critical factor in a child’s classroom success, noting that children spend most of their day with their teacher.

“That communication bond, that relationship that a teacher and parent have is critical for success for any child in a classroom,” she said.

Draeger said parents should watch for changes in a child’s behavior or demeanor that could signal bullying, including reluctance to attend after-school events, withdrawal from other children, general mood changes, sadness or unwillingness to talk.

“Let’s just show them the damage that can be done by repeated bullying to somebody else,” Draeger said. “That’s a long-term, sometimes a long-term thing that can deeply hurt kids. And I think kids that are the bully need to understand and see that.”

For younger students, Draeger said bullying prevention at the elementary level can include teaching children about differences, such as how a peer with autism may think or experience the world differently.

Experts said students who are struggling have several resources available, including school resource officers, school counselors, a student’s favorite teacher and podcasts focused on student wellness.