Back to school

A day at the end of September is that time where most of our children go back to school armed with new schoolbags and decked in uniforms newly bought or adequately altered to make up for their recent growth spurt.

This transition usually comes with no major hurdles for most of the children. But for some, especially the newcomers and the young ones, it is a time of separation from their mothers and a new era of independence and self-sufficiency which can prove very scary and trying. Fortunately, these anxieties are usually ironed out by the experienced school staff. However, if not tackled well, this transition can result in a lot of insecurity in the child which can hinder his learning capabilities and his ability to socialise.

Former American baseball player Gene Oliver once said that the lesson only appears once the student is ready. In my opinion, the basis for a “ready student well done” is a good diet, enough hours of sleep every day and regular exercise and it is a recipe, I recommend to all educators and parents alike.

Having one of the highest numbers of obese children in Europe and even across the continent should certainly make us aware of what we put in our children’s lunchboxes. Healthier alternatives to the so common ham or luncheonmeat and cheese white bread sandwich are wholemeal bread with lean meat such as turkey, or a filling of tomatoes, cucumber, tuna or salmon, while buns, scones, fruit and yoghurts are a healthier alternative to sweets. Water, semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened fruit juice are also better drink options than fizzy or sweet drinks. Food and drinks with additives should also be avoided as they were found to cause hyperactivity.

It is also important to keep the children as active as possible, both during and out of school hours. Lack of exercise does not only enhance weight gain but also encourages the child to engage in less healthy activities like watching television or playing computer games which have the added disadvantage of literally putting the child's brain to sleep.

Being confined in a classroom with a score or more of others puts the child in an ideal situation for contracting the most common childhood ailments like the common cold, croup, gastroenteritis, tonsillitis, acute asthma and middle ear infections. Children usually get unwell more often in the early years of school until their body builds up an adequate immune system to these most common ailments.

One aspect of child health which, in my opinion, is very often overlooked is posture. I think that special attention should be given by the class teacher to the way the child sits down so that incorrect back postures are corrected at an early age. Heavy schoolbags are also notorious spine terminators so the importance of sensible schoolbags with good shoulder straps and without the load to literally fold the child in half cannot be stressed enough.

School is not just about sitting down and learning to count, speak languages and know more history, geography and science. It is about being a catalyst to the family in moulding the child into a healthy well functioning adult to adapt to and why not, change our society for the better.

Dr Mizzi is a general practitioner. She is the medical affairs officer for one of the leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide and one of the medics at a top cosmetic clinic.