Most Area Classes Will Start in Early August
Note: The following item was submitted to Polk Today for publication. It was provided by Tifani Kinard, Vice President of Rural Health for Atrium Health Floyd
ROME, Ga., June 17, 2022 – People like to talk about returning to school “in the fall.” That just doesn’t happen anymore. Most school systems in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama will start classes during the first week of August. That means that we are about 6 weeks away from seeing our favorite teachers again.
That also means that parents wishing to get kids vaccinated or checked out by a local pediatrician need to think about making an appointment with a pediatrician as soon as possible. Waiting might mean you can’t the see the doctor when you need to.
Schedule your child an annual checkup as soon as possible. All kids, even those who are as old as 17, should see their pediatrician at least once a year. That is particularly important for those who might have a chronic condition. That allows parents, the student and the doctor to help make a healthcare plan for the upcoming year.
Parent and kids should also realize that pediatricians should be the doctor of choice until students graduate from high school. Kids under the age of 18 will likely be treated in the pediatric wing of a hospital if they need care. They will probably see a pediatric surgeon of they break an arm. That is why it is so important that the relationship with your pediatrician be maintained until the patient turns 18.
Start routines now
If going back to school means getting more sleep, changing your eating patterns or setting up new physical routines, it is important that you start working on those now. If you wait until school starts, parents and children are going to have a hard time getting used to their new schedules.
Setting bedtimes and making sure your kids get enough sleep is always a big issue when school starts again. Often during the summer break, kids and parents might find themselves staying up later than normal. Establishing good sleep habits right off the bat is crucial.
While everyone benefits from a good eight hours of sleep, it might be harder to re-establish that habit for younger kids who have been going to bed later since school got out. If mom and/or dad will set a regular bedtime and regular wake-up time in July, it will be much easier for the entire family when that alarm clock first goes off in August.
Try to make the hours before bedtime as peaceful as possible. Don’t let the kids drink coffee, sodas or energy drink that may contain caffeine in the evening.
While the amount of sleep each child needs can vary, here’s the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended amount of sleep by age:
⦁ 4 to 12 months: 12 to 16 hours
⦁ 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours
⦁ 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours
⦁ 6 to 12 years: 9 to 12 hours
⦁ 13 to 18 years+: 8 to 10 hours
If your child has a chronic condition
Your child needs to understand their condition and how it might affect them. Will they know during the day if their condition might be worsening? What are the possible signs and symptoms?
If you school has a school nurse, meet them and introduce them to your child. The school nurse can be an advocate for your child if they know what he or she might be facing.
About Atrium Health Floyd
Since 1942, Floyd, now Atrium Health Floyd, has worked to provide affordable, accessible care in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Today, Atrium Health Floyd is a leading medical provider and economic force. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. At the hub of these services is Floyd Medical Center, a 304-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center.
Atrium Health Floyd employs more than 3,400 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at three hospitals: Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia; Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia, as well as Floyd Behavioral Health Center, a freestanding 53-bed behavioral health facility, also in Rome; and a primary care and urgent care network with locations throughout the service area of northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.
