A Checklist for Keeping Your Child Healthy and Well
Being a parent has to be the hardest job on the planet. There are so many things to keep in mind to ensure your child’s health stays optimal. That’s why using a health and wellness checklist can be so valuable.
If you’ve never encountered such a checklist, you are in the right place. Read on and get helpful pointers on how to keep track of your concerns regarding your child’s well-being.
Emotional Well-Being Checklist
The first thing you will want to be aware of when it comes to your child is their level of emotional well-being. The world nowadays, with all of its tragedies, illnesses, and natural disasters, not to mention cyberbullying and sexual predators, can be stressful for a child’s emotional health.
How can you help? Always keep communication lines open – your child should know they can come to you anytime to chat about anything. Make it a ritual every day or week to sit down with them and converse about everything they are going through.
Be observant and don’t ignore the following warning signs:
- Their school performance dips or changes
- They seem anxious or worried about something
- They aren’t behaving as per usual – either throwing temper tantrums or are too quiet
- They refuse to go to school
- They have nightmares every night
- They are eating or sleeping too much or too little
Note any behavior that’s out of the norm and if it stays persistent over time, then it’s best to investigate further.
Physical Well-Being Checklist
Sometimes it feels that taking care of a child’s physical well-being is more manageable than their emotional state. That’s because you can rely upon regular doctor visits and annual physical checkups to ensure everything in their body is as it should be. Your doctor will also manage their routine vaccination schedule.
However, do not ignore what you can do at home to ensure they stay healthy and fit.
- Ensure you cook healthy food options and eat them together
- Remove as many indoor pollutants from your home as possible and use natural products
- Teach your child basic first-aid
- Make sure they move around and play outside – a sedentary lifestyle can be harmful
- Have a consistent bedtime routine and a limit screen time
COVID-19 Checklist
This is a recent addition to the health and wellness checklist for children. There are many things you can do in this regard, like:
- Teach a hand-washing routine
- Perform regular temperature checks
- Keep a lookout for Covid-19 symptoms
- If your child is unwell in any way, don’t send them to school
- Take them to community testing sites nearby, if you’re worried they have Covid
- Stay informed about the illness, so you don’t get caught unawares
A Health and Wellness Checklist Keeps Parents From Feeling Overwhelmed
There is a lot on your plate already, and that’s why a health and wellness checklist can be so crucial to staying on top of your child’s health.
If you ever encounter a health issue beyond your capacity, visit our emergency room in Cibolo, TX for immediate medical care.
Sources:
Baughman, Natalie, Prescott, Susan L., Rooney, Rosanna, The Prevention of Anxiety and Depression in Early Childhood, Frontiers in Psychology, 30 Sept. 2020, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.517896/full
McCarthy, Claire, Need to revisit screen time? Harvard Health Publishing, 9 Feb. 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/need-to-revisit-screen-time-2021020921912
