Back To School Health Tips for 2024

After six weeks of summer holiday freedom, the kids are back at school… and some may be dragging their feet a little! February can be a bit messy as everyone transitions from “beach mode” back to “study mode”, and it’s not uncommon to encounter the odd case of Monday-itis!

Keeping kids happy, healthy, and motivated throughout the school year is much easier when you implement good habits from day one. This can be as simple as eating well, being active, and topping up their nutritional needs with supplements when necessary. 

Here are our back to school health tips!

Make them eat a healthy breakfast every day

School mornings are often a rush to get everyone ready and out the door, and it’s all too easy for breakfast to be pushed down the list of priorities. But going to school on an empty tummy can seriously affect a child’s performance in the classroom, on the playing field, and even socially. 

Growing kids need the right fuel to get the most out of their day - and year! If time is always short, some easy on-the-go breakfasts can include Marmite on toast, a banana with nuts, yogurt, or a peanut-butter sandwich. Or whip up a batch of breakfast muffins or smoothies in advance and keep them in the freezer. 

For a truly easy and nutritious breakfast in a snap, just add Nature's Way Whole Food Smoothie to milk, water, or nut/seed milks and your kiddo will be getting a delicious dose of protein, vitamins, minerals and superfoods!

Keep a strict bedtime

Kids need their sleep - even more so than adults. Sleep is absolutely essential to a child’s physical and mental wellbeing. Getting enough rest at night supports their cognitive performance, alertness, mood, learning, and energy. So, no matter how much they plead, bedtime should be the same time every night. And that also means no phones or tablets in bed! 

To help kids wind down in the evening, avoid sugary snacks after dinner and try to limit TV or screen time. For those kids who can’t seem to nod off, try SleepDrops For Kids. SleepDrops are a 100% natural sleep formula designed to support healthy sleep patterns in children. Made with gentle herbs and botanicals, SleepDrops are a non-habit forming and non-toxic way to help settle kids who have overactive minds at bedtime. 

Support their immune system 

Coughs, sniffles, and tummy bugs are almost impossible to avoid at school - but you can definitely minimise your kid’s chance of picking them up! Supporting your child’s immune defences with good nutrition every day will give them a better chance of fighting off whatever’s going around. 

Diet is the foundation of healthy immune function. As well as a good breakfast, kids should be eating a wholesome diet every day. That means a lunch, dinner, and plenty of snacks that include protein, wholegrains, nuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables (as per their dietary needs). Pack a lunch they can take to school each day, and make sure that dinner is filling enough to curb their cravings for treats before bedtime. 

For an extra boost, GO Healthy GO Kids Vir-Defence Immune is a yummy way to help support a young immune system. These great-tasting chewable tablets contain Vitamin C and D plus Zinc, Echinacea and Elderberry to help support the body’s natural immune defences. And don’t forget that 70 percent of the immune system is in the gut! A chewable probiotic like Radiance Kids Probiotic Gummies can be an easy way to keep their gut microbiome in good shape. 

Banish the nits

Head lice go hand-in-hand with school life! Also known as nits, head lice are tiny insects that settle in the scalp and lay their eggs. The lice spread from one head to the next regardless of how clean or dirty someone's hair is, and are quite common in schools and other places in which people are close together. 

Check your child’s head for lice at least once a week, especially around the back of the neck, behind the ears, and on the top of the head. If you find these small, flat creatures (usually white, brown or dark grey in colour), act fast. Moov Head Lice Solution is a powerful blend of essential oils scientifically proven to kill head lice and their eggs in just three simple applications. The Quitnits Head Lice Removal Comb Kit includes a 5x magnifier to detect the lice (they can be hard to spot) and two stainless steel combs to remove them and their eggs. There’s also a handy brush to keep the combs clean. 

Banish the worms, too

If it’s not a cold, or a tummy bug, or nits, it’s worms! Threadworms (also known as pinworms) are a common infection in school kids, especially between the ages of five and 10. These tiny little parasites cause itching in and around the bottom, which leads to scratching (and restless nights!). They can be passed around very quickly at school and in the home just by touching a contaminated surface such as sink taps, door handles, and even linen. 

If your child is constantly complaining of an itchy bottom that gets worse at night, head to your doctor. If they are diagnosed with worms, it’s best to treat the whole family. Vermox Worming Treatment Choc Chews are an effective treatment for worm infections in both adults and children over 2 years. Only one dose required! For stubborn infections, there’s also De-Worm Extra Strength, a broad spectrum anti-worm medication for treating threadworm, hookworm, whipworm, and roundworm.

With these healthy tips in mind - and a few products in your home medicine cabinet - you’ll be set to get through the school year with as little drama as possible (we hope!). And when the need arises, just pop into your local Bargain Chemist or find us online. You name it, we’ll have it! 

Always read the label and use as directed. If symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional.