Back-to-School: Paediatric experts share tips for a stronger school year

Choose a gentle reset, not one dramatically early bedtime. Starting one to two weeks before term, move bedtime and wake-up earlier by 15–20 minutes every few days, including weekends.

School-aged children generally need 9–12 hours of sleep and teenagers need 8–10. Tired children may appear irritable, forgetful or unable to concentrate.

Create a 30-minute ‘power-down’: prepare clothes, pack the bag, brush teeth, dim the lights and read. Switch screens off one hour before bed. Do not use melatonin without consulting your paediatrician.

Choose clothes and breakfast the night before. Younger children may enjoy a picture chart: wake, wash, dress, eat, brush, shoes - and go!

Make it a family effort. When adults put devices away and protect bedtime too, the routine feels like teamwork.

Try the five-night sleep challenge: One completed routine earns one star. Five stars mean choosing the family’s weekend activity.

Ask your child: “What is one thing that would make school mornings easier for you?” Their answer may surprise you. Persistent snoring, difficulty waking or falling asleep in class should be discussed with a paediatrician.

Flu is more than a heavy cold. It can arrive suddenly with fever, cough, body aches and exhaustion, causing missed school and sometimes serious complications. Children can also carry it home to vulnerable relatives.

Annual vaccination helps reduce flu and its complications. The vaccine is updated for the strains expected each season, so last year’s vaccination does not replace this year’s. Protection takes around two weeks to develop - plan before flu moves through classrooms.

For children anxious about needles, there is another option: the nasal flu vaccine is now available at Medcare Women & Children Hospital. It is given as a quick spray into the nose, with no injection.

The nasal vaccine may suit eligible healthy people aged 2–49, but not everyone. Children under 2, pregnant women, people with weakened immunity and some children with asthma, recent wheezing or certain conditions may need another option. A doctor must assess suitability first.

The injectable vaccine remains available from 6 months of age, subject to medical assessment. Some younger children may require two doses; your paediatrician will advise you.

Possibly nothing. The portion may be large, the container difficult, the food soggy or the break short. Before calling your child “fussy,” ask what happened.

A balanced lunch need not look perfect. Remember: protein + energy food + colour + water. Combine chicken, egg, cheese, yoghurt or beans with bread, rice or pasta, plus fruit or vegetables.

Try a chicken wrap with cucumber and fruit; egg with wholegrain bread and tomatoes; or yoghurt with oats and berries. Follow the school’s allergy policy.

For breakfast, try egg and toast, yoghurt and fruit, or oats with milk. Make water the everyday drink and encourage regular drinking in the UAE heat.

Offer two healthy options, let your child choose one and practise opening each container. Avoid demanding an empty lunchbox; appetite varies and pressure creates stress.

Take the lunchbox challenge: Ask your child to build tomorrow’s meal using the four-part formula, name their creation and rate it after school from one to five stars.

Speak to a paediatrician about weight loss, choking, pain when eating, severe food restriction or growth concerns.

A little nervousness is normal. Children may worry about separation, friendships, schoolwork or bullying. Instead of dismissing it, ask: “Which part feels hardest?” A named worry is easier to tackle.

Make the unknown familiar: drive the school route, view campus photographs and rehearse a warm, confident and brief goodbye. After school, allow time to decompress, then try the Rose, Thorn and Bud check-in:

• Rose: What was the best part of your day?

• Thorn: What felt difficult?

• Bud: What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Headaches and stomach aches can accompany anxiety, but persistent symptoms need medical assessment.

Make meals, homework and the hour before bed device-free. Ask what screens replace sleep, movement, reading or family time and model the same rules.

Stay curious about online life. Children report cyberbullying more readily when they know they will be heard calmly.

Confidence does not mean never feeling nervous. It means knowing what to do, who to approach and how to ask for help.

Create a confidence card: “If I feel worried at school, I can..., speak to... and remind myself...” Place it inside the school bag.

Seek help if anxiety worsens, causes repeated school refusal, disrupts sleep or eating, or stops your child enjoying usual activities.