DHSS Press Release

DPH BACK TO SCHOOL CHECKLIST: DON'T FORGET THE BUG SPRAY

DOVER (August 26, 2016) - While new school clothes, backpacks and school supplies can dominate parents' back-to-school lists, the Division of Public Health (DPH) shares these tips to keep your child healthier and safer during the new school year:

• Wellness checks: Beginning at age 2, children and adolescents need an annual wellness check-up that includes a physical examination. The health care provider will screen the child's overall health, including vision, hearing, and oral health. Immunizations are often given during these appointments.
• Immunizations: Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap); and meningococcal vaccines are required for ninth grade school entry. For a list of recommended immunizations by age, visit the Delaware Immunization Program website at dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/immunize.html or call 800-282-8672.
• Prevent lead poisoning: Delaware regulations require that all children around one year of age get a blood lead level test. And if the child is considered "high risk," then the child should be re-tested at around two years of age. If a child's parents cannot provide proof that a child was previously tested for blood lead levels, then the child must get a blood lead level test prior to enrolling or re-enrolling in a child care facility, public and private nursery school, pre-school and kindergarten. To schedule a blood lead test for your child, call your local pediatrician or family practitioner. For more information on how to prevent lead paint poisoning, visit www.LeadSafeDelaware.org or call the Health Coordinator of DPH's Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 302-283-7300. A lead poisoning prevention fact sheet can be found at http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/files/leadpoiprevsvs.pdf.
• Backpack weight: Keep backpacks light. Most doctors and physical therapists recommend that kids carry no more than 10-15 percent of their body weight in their backpacks. Children should wear backpacks over both shoulders to reduce the risk of muscle and neck strains or injuries.
• Reflective tape: Buy outer clothes and backpacks with reflective tape so bus drivers and other motorists can easily see children at bus stops, or walking and bicycling to and from school.
• Bus safety: Parents should review bus information with their children. Write down the bus driver's name, bus number, driver phone number, and the pick-up and drop-off times and locations. Keep that information handy at home and at work, and also include it in the child's backpack for their easy reference.
• Pedestrian safety: Teach children to use crosswalks and obey traffic signals, highway signs, and laws. Map out safe routes to and from school. Remind children never to accept rides, candy, or other invitations from strangers. Trustworthy adults should accompany younger children.
• Healthy lunches: So children do not skip school meals, parents should complete and return school breakfast and lunch forms and send back-up lunch money the first few days. Pack nutritious lunches with protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and water or non-fat milk. Get recipe inspiration at https://www.choosemyplate.gov/. To prevent foodborne illness, pack lunches in insulated coolers with ice packs to keep food at 40◦ F or below, and follow the food safety advice at this link at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/bam/nutrition/power-packing.html. After school, provide healthy snacks. View DPH's recipe videos at http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/chca/dphwichominf01.html
• Send them off with sunscreen: Students regularly go outside for recess, gym and sports practices. To prevent skin cancer, send cream-based (not spray) sunscreen with a Sun Protective Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, and teach them to apply it before going outside.
• And, don't forget the bug spray! Mosquitoes can spread a variety of illnesses and make children miserable with itchy bites. Spray their clothing with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing permethrin. For spraying directly on the skin, use a repellent that does not contain permethrin and follow product instructions. Do not apply insect repellent onto a child's hands, eyes, mouth, or cut or irritated skin. Adults should spray insect repellent onto their hands to apply repellent on a child's face.

For more information about preparing children for returning to school, visit Nemours Health and Prevention Services' parenting website: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.