Starting a new school year can be a very exciting time but also a stressful one for parents and students.

For parents with questions or concerns, here are some basic tips to help you and your family prepare, and ensure that everyone has a happy and successful year. These tips come from two experts,  Monica Amoo-Achampong, MD, and Erica Brody, MD, both pediatricians at Mount Sinai Health System.

Schedule an annual checkup

It’s one of the best ways to ensure your children’s health and well-being. Making sure your children are up to date on all their vaccines can keep them from getting sick from serious illness. This includes COVID-19 and flu vaccines for children above six months of age. Older children need their meningitis and HPV vaccines in addition to a booster shot for tetanus and whooping cough.

Good hand hygiene

A great way to prevent germs from spreading is to remind your kids about proper handwashing techniques and teach children to avoid touching their face.

Stick to a healthy diet and meal schedule

Most kids could use more vegetables, like spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, squash, or carrots, and less junk foods, such as chips, cookies, and candy bars.  Lean proteins are also important, like grilled chicken or fish, shellfish, beans, nonfat Greek yogurt, and eggs.  Try to limit junk food and sugary drinks to occasional treats. Breakfast is critical to boost our morning energy levels, and also get us hydrated to start the day. A lunch that includes a vegetable, a protein, and lots of water, while also avoiding junk food and excessive carbs, is ideal. Make dinnertime a family affair and eat together as often as able. A regular meal schedule keeps our energy levels steady, while also helping to maintain healthy portion sizes. Skipping meals can make children irritable and less focused. Eating too late may contribute to obesity and poor sleep schedules.

Develop healthy sleep habits

With a consistent and early bedtime, kids learn faster and feel happier. For younger kids, a regular routine is key, with softer lights and sounds around bedtime. For older kids, daily vigorous exercise earlier in the day will help them fall asleep more easily. For all ages, screen time should end at least an hour before bedtime. In general, the earlier children go to bed, the easier it will be for them to wake up in the morning.

Stay active

Kids need a daily exercise routine. Even when they can’t get outside, an exercise video or family dance session can do the trick.

Manage anxiety and keep calm

Kids may have different worries than adults, but they’re just as real.  Find time each day to check in, listen to their feelings, and remind them that they’re supported.  If there are lots of negative emotions, consider discussing your concerns with your pediatrician. 

Mental health is a very important part of your child’s overall health and wellness throughout their childhood years and beyond into adulthood. It is the foundation to building their future and plays an integral role in the relationship to their physical health and their ability to function and succeed at school, at home, and in the world as a whole. Mental health affects everything—the way your child learns, develops, feels, thinks, and acts.

Do you worry about your child having anxiety, depression, stress, or other related illnesses? Do they display new behaviors, such as having outbursts, crying a lot when they don’t get their way, avoiding activities they once enjoyed, or getting very sad for long periods of time?

Stephen Turner, MD

“It can be hard to identify if their struggles are normal or signs of a mental health concern,” says pediatrician Stephen Turner, MD, from Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights.

He offers some ways to support children and encourage wellness and how to spot signs and symptoms of a mental health problem.

Any type of change can be hard and intimidating for children of all ages. For example, the end of the school year can really weigh on a child. They might be filled with excitement, sadness, or apprehension as they say goodbye to their teachers and friends.

“What’s important to remember is understanding how they are feeling, helping them through it. Make those fun vacation plans, but also focus on their mental health,” Dr. Turner says. “Let’s face it, some kids love school, and they thrive on that structure, while others can’t wait for summer to begin. School is predictable and can be a child’s safe haven even if they say it’s not ‘cool’ or ‘fun.’”

How do we help children stay healthy mentally and move ahead with a transition to summer break and encourage good health and wellness all year long?

Here are some simple things you can do to help your child be more confident and develop resilience:

• Offer a nurturing and loving environment: offer constant love and support, tell them that you love them, and hug your child often.
• Listen to your child’s concerns.
• Communicate clearly, consistently, and positively.
• Keep the same structure and routine.
• Be in the moment with them: share smiles, stories, and conversation.
• Offer positive reinforcement.
• Applaud their efforts and successes.
• Be a role model and mentor.

Here are some signs and symptoms of a possible mental health concern:

• A change in mood or intense behaviors and tantrums that last for long periods of time or several weeks.
  • Take note if the behavior happens a few times a week and if it lasts for a few minutes or a few hours.
  • Take note if the behaviors are disruptive for example, and are taking away from family time or causing a scene at a special event.
• Limited interest in the activities they once enjoyed.
• Decline in academics and school performance.
• Excessive anxiety and worrying.
• Withdrawn and sad.
• Rebellious and opposition to parents, caregivers, and authority.
• Interrupted sleep at night with bad dreams and night terrors.
• A change in the way they talk or express themselves, such as using inappropriate or negative language, or having thoughts or talk of hurting themselves. In that case, get help right away and call your doctor or the National Helpline of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)—1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you’re worried that your child may have a mental health concern, contact your child’s teachers and other adults who see them on a daily basis and take note if they are seeing similar changes in their behavior.

“Most importantly, trust yourself and the gut feeling that you have and contact your child’s pediatrician or a mental health and behavioral specialist to help you,” says Dr. Turner.

To make an appointment with a pediatrician at Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights call 929-210-6000.

A fussy and crying infant can be a tremendous challenge for parents. Just when you get past the stress of childbirth, learn how to feed your baby, your newborn’s weight gain, and possibly deal with a  jaundiced baby, your infant begins to spend more time awake, often fussing and crying frequently. Is your baby experiencing the dreaded colic or is something else wrong?

Jennifer Bragg, MD

In this Q&A, Jennifer Bragg, MD, Director, Mount Sinai Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Follow-Up Program, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains colic, how parents can tell if their baby may have it, and what to do to soothe a fussy baby.

What is colic?

“True colic” is defined as at least three hours of unexplained crying or fussing, at least three days per week, for at least three weeks in a row. It often starts around two weeks of age, peaks at four to six weeks, and goes away by three to four months. These hours of crying usually occur at a certain time of day, often in the evening hours. When not crying, the baby is usually happy. The crying is often high-pitched and many babies will pull up their legs, almost as if in pain, or turn red in the face. It is equally common in boys and girls, and slightly more common in first-born children.

What causes colic?

It is not entirely known what causes colic. Some believe it is caused by immaturity of the nervous system, while others believe it is caused by something upsetting the baby’s stomach. The most conventional wisdom is that colic is caused by a combination of the two. What we do know is that colic has no ultimate impact on a child’s temperament and personality later in life. Studies have shown that a colicky baby is no less likely to be a pleasant, happy, and well-adjusted child, teenager, and adult.

My fussy baby does not have “true colic.” What else could cause their constant crying? Should I see my pediatrician?

There are many explainable reasons for crying in a baby. Hunger, fatigue, and a dirty or wet diaper are simple, easily fixed causes. There are also some treatable medical problems such as sickness, fever, or pain. Babies also may be particularly fussy if their stomachs are upset due to a food sensitivity or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Crying accompanied by a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or runny nose may indicate that your baby is sick. A food sensitivity may be the culprit if your baby’s stool contains blood or mucus or if there is excessive spit-up or vomiting even after switching formula or, if breast-fed, the mother has eliminated certain items (dairy, caffeine, etc.) from her diet. Gastroesophageal reflux disease may be suspected if the baby is upset and appears to be in pain during spit-up and shortly after feeding; this can be treated with medication. Addressing these potential underlying causes of your baby’s crying should curtail the fussiness.

What can parents do to soothe their baby?

To soothe the fussy baby, it may help to use a method that mimics the baby’s environment in the womb. They are often referred to as the 5 S’s:

• Swaddling, which entails wrapping a baby’s arms tightly to the side
• Shushing, or using white noise to relax your baby
• Swinging or rocking your baby
• Sucking on either the breast or a pacifier may calm your baby
• Holding the baby in the side/stomach position with a small amount of pressure on their belly can also be helpful

There is no evidence that over-the-counter remedies such a simethicone gas drops or gripe water helps, but they are certainly safe to try and many parents find them beneficial.

If the above does not help, it is important to understand that the crying is not a reflection on parenting skills. If possible, take breaks from the task by seeking help from other family or friends. In time, the crying and fussing will get better.

If symptoms cannot be explained by any of the above, and the crying persists for hours per day and for days or weeks straight, parents should make an appointment with their pediatrician.

Aldo Londino, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the Mount Sinai Health System and is Chief of the Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital.