Click play to listen to this article.

(Wyoming News Service) It is time for families to prep kids for the school year and Wyoming experts said sleep and social media hygiene are key.

Children's health experts said routine physicals, comprehensive eye exams and dental appointments can keep kids healthy during the school year and prevent them from missing classes for unexpected appointments.

Dr. Michael Sanderson, a pediatrician and president of the Wyoming Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said sleep is among one of the more challenging routines to reestablish during the school year.

Image

"Parents tend to let kids' sleep routines and their screen time restrictions go during the summertime," Sanderson observed. "Five or six hours or more per day, which is definitely not their usual routine while school is in session."

Sanderson added if their screen time is on social media, children are likely feeling the stressors of bigger issues. He pointed out with a big election coming up, kids of certain age groups are 'very in tune' with politics, which are increasingly extreme. He reminded parents to monitor kids' social media use and be mindful of what kinds of materials kids are seeing.

After a 2023 2023 Wyoming House Bill to provide grants to assist K-12 public schools in providing mental health services died in committee, attention to kids' mental health at home continues to be vital.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer and executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, said there are other ways to establish good routines, including having scheduled family dinners when possible.

"You know, I recognize that you can't do that every night," Randall acknowledged. "Everyone's busy and sometimes running in different directions, but doing that as often as possible really does create a routine that's predictable and healthy for the child."

Randall added routines at home can help children feel more confident and stable in school, too.