Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Fall 2021

citizensmemorial.com 7 Back-to-school checkups give your child’s PCP a chance to monitor your child’s health and track growth and development. Need a PCP for your child? Call CMH Information Center at 417-328-6010 . Limit screen time. Overuse of the internet, video games and social media hurts school performance by cutting into homework and sleep times. Put limits on when these activities can be allowed. It’s best to keep TVs and digital devices out of your child’s bedroom. Talk about bullying. Help your child understand when and how to ask a trusted adult for help if they are bullied. Point out that bullying is never OK. Beware of overstuffed backpacks. Backpacks that are too heavy can cause aches and pains. A backpack should weigh no more than 10% to 20% of your child’s body weight. Teach your child to load the heaviest items closest to the center of their back. Designate a space for doing homework. Whether that’s a kitchen table or a bedroom, make sure it is quiet and distraction-free.