A Healthy Back to School: 7 Pharmacist Tips to Make the New School Year a Success

As the school year begins, your family is likely getting supplies ready and adjusting to a new routine after summer break. Whether your child attends elementary, middle, or high school, it’s natural for them to feel both excited and nervous at the same time. And keeping them happy, healthy, and safe is likely your top priority.

With a few simple tips, pharmacists can help your family achieve these goals. From helping your family stay current on immunizations to keeping over-the-counter (OTC) medications on hand, your pharmacist has your back.

1. Practice good hand hygiene

Teaching your kids about the importance of handwashing is one tool for a healthy school year. They should routinely wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time. One fun way to make sure you’ve spent enough time washing is by singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” one time through.

At school, kids should wash their hands at these key times:

• After using the bathroom

• Before eating their snack or lunch

• After sneezing, coughing, or blowing their nose

• After recess and gym class

• If their hands are dirty

• After touching animals

Why does it matter? Washing your hands with soap and water fights off germs and is a proven way to help prevent illness. In fact, it can lower your risk of experiencing a respiratory illness, such as a cold, by up to 21%. But if a sink isn’t available, hand sanitizer is a good back-up option.

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2. Stay up to date on immunizations

Many kids fell behind on routine vaccinations when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The good news is that many children are starting to get caught up. But there are still about 21 million kids globally that missed at least one routine vaccine in 2022.

Most people ages 6 months and older are eligible for flu and COVID vaccines. Flu shots are recommended yearly. September and October are ideal times for most kids to get a flu shot. However, COVID vaccine recommendations frequently change, so your pharmacist can tell you if and when your child needs another booster.

Talk to your child’s healthcare provider or pharmacist to make sure they are up to date on other routine vaccines based on their age:

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP)

• Polio

• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

• Chickenpox (Varicella)

• Hepatitis A

• Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap)

• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

• Meningococcal (Meningitis)

Good to know: It typically takes about 2 weeks (14 days) for your body to build up immunity once you get a vaccine — like the flu shot. Keep this in mind as you schedule vaccine appointments for your child.

3. Set up your child’s physical

Back-to-school physicals are a must to start the year out right. Your child’s healthcare provider can monitor their growth and development to make sure they’re reaching developmental milestones. Annual, preventative screenings can also help catch potential health issues before they become a more serious problem.

These examinations can provide other benefits, too. They’re a great time to make sure your child is caught up on their immunizations. And if your child needs any medications for health conditions, they can get refills during this time.

4. Keep OTC medications handy

At some point in time, you’ve likely received a call from the school nurse when your child isn’t feeling well. When a situation like this comes up, it’s important to have OTC medications at home to manage symptoms as needed. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) are helpful resources for lowering fever and relieving pain. They’re especially handy for managing symptoms of various illnesses, such as the cold, flu, and COVID.

Here are some other OTC products to keep at home:

• Medications that manage allergic reactions, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine)

• Antibiotic ointments for cuts and scrapes, such as Neosporin (neomycin / polymyxin B / bacitracin)

• Saline nasal spray for nasal congestion

• Hydrocortisone cream for insect bites

• Electrolyte replacement beverages, such as Pedialyte

• Band-Aids

• Alcohol prep pads (or hydrogen peroxide) to disinfect cuts

• A thermometer

• Tissues

5. Keep an eye on your child’s mental health

School can be stressful for many kids — for many reasons. It’s important for mental health to be on parents’ radars.

Unfortunately, there’s a growing rate of kids and teens ending up in the hospital and emergency room from self harm. One study found that about 66% of childhood suicide cases happen among adolescent girls, with an average age of 15 years old.

Look for suicide warning signs in your kids, especially if they seem down or their behavior isn’t typical for them. It’s a tough thing to watch out for, but it’s an important one. Use these five action steps if you believe your child might be experiencing thoughts of suicide:

• Ask. Check if your child is thinking about suicide or thoughts of self harm. Seek medical attention right away if your child has harmed themself or if you believe they will.

• Be there. Listen and show support. Don’t take their feelings personally either — chances are their feelings aren’t related to something that you’ve done.

• Keep them safe. Don’t leave your child alone. Put safety measures in place to remove anything they can harm themselves with.

• Help them connect. Help your child connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This service provides free and confidential support. 

• Follow up. Keep open communication with your child to see how they’re doing.

If your child is experiencing depression, your pharmacist and healthcare provider can recommend treatment options. Therapy and social support are two helpful, medication-free resources. When needed, antidepressants, such as Zoloft (sertraline), can also help.

6. Check requirements for administering medications at school

If your child takes any medications, ask the school about their medication administration requirements. Your child may be able to take some medications by themselves during school hours, but others should be stored with the school nurse.

All 50 states (and Washington, D.C.) have laws in place that allow kids to carry and administer their own asthma inhalers and medications to manage anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions). Albuterol (ProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA, Proventil HFA) is a common rescue inhaler for managing asthma symptoms. Epinephrine (EpiPen, Adrenaclick, Auvi-Q) treats anaphylaxis.

Other medications may need to be stored and administered by the school nurse. The medication should be placed in the original, labeled container that you receive from the pharmacy. The bottle should include the following information:

• Child’s name

• Medication name

• Dosage

• Route of administration (e.g., by mouth, under the tongue)

• How often the medication is taken

• Healthcare provider’s name

• Prescription date

• Expiration date

Good to know: Remember to keep one bottle of your child’s medication at home and one at school. This way they have enough medication for their whole day. Your pharmacist can provide you with extra labels and bottles if needed.

7. Get a good night’s sleep

Getting adequate sleep can help kids focus better at school. Research also shows a healthy sleep schedule helps prevent certain health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity, down the line.

The “right” amount of sleep varies for everyone, but it often boils down to age. Kids ages 6 to 12 years old should aim to sleep 9 to 12 hours each night. Teens ages 13 to 18 years old should try to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep.

Here are some tips to help your child get a good night’s sleep:

• Avoid screen time 1 hour before bedtime.

• Limit exercise before bedtime.

• Avoid caffeine, including caffeinated sodas and chocolate, at least 6 hours before bedtime.

• Limit liquids 1 to 2 hours before bedtime.

• Create (and maintain) a bedtime routine — even on the weekends and holidays.

When should you keep your child home from school if they’re not feeling well?

It’s 6 AM, and your child wakes up with a fever of 101°F (or higher). It’s a common scenario for parents, and when this happens it’s best to keep your child home from school. If your child is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, they should also stay home from school to prevent spreading illness to other kids.

But what happens if your child has a runny nose or some congestion? If you have a COVID rapid test at home, it’s a good idea to test your child — especially when cases are surging in the U.S. If the test is positive, then your child should stay home for 5 days (the day they have a positive test is Day 0). If your child is fever free for 24 hours after isolating for 5 days, they can return to school. They should wear a well-fitted mask for at least 5 days once they return to school.

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Written by:

Jennifer Gershman, PharmD, CPh, PACS

Jennifer Gershman, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist in Florida. She has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 15 years and is currently a medical writer.

Edited by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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