Newswise — New Brunswick, N.J., August 19, 2022 – Many students, parents and school staff are eagerly looking forward to the 2022-2023 school year. It is important to remind your child of ways to protect their overall health and wellness, especially if your child is immunosuppressed due to treatment for cancer or other health conditions. Peter Cole, MD, chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey shares his expert advice on wellness as students transition back into the classroom. Consider the following tips.
- Remind children about healthy habits to prevent spreading illness such as coughing and sneezing into their elbow, not sharing drinks, keeping hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth and continuing frequent handwashing and hand sanitizing.
- Healthy eating, exercising and adequate sleep will also help to keep the immune system healthy and strong for a great school year.
- Keep up to date with vaccinations. Talk to your pediatrician to make sure your child has received all the immunizations he or she is eligible for, including the vaccine for COVID-19.
- Monitor your child’s health and be sure to maintain a close relationship with your pediatrician and staying on top of scheduling annual checkups.
Dr. Cole is also director of Hematology, Oncology and Cellular Therapies at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, the Embrace Kids Foundation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute and professor of pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He conducts research in the Hugs for Brady Foundation Pediatric Cancer Research Lab.
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