Central Florida doctor outlines back-to-school physical health checklist
Central Florida doctor outlines back-to-school physical health checklist
WESH 2’s Jason Guy and Orlando Health pediatrician, Dr. Gayathri Kapoor, discuss necessary check-ups, communication tips, proper hand-washing habits and more to ensure students’ health throughout the academic year.
RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF DAYS LEFT IN SUMMER BREAK BEFORE OUR LOCAL KIDDOS GO BACK TO CLASSES. ASIDE FROM THE SUPPLIES, CLOTHES AND SHOES, GETTING A HEALTHY START IS REALLY TOP OF MIND FOR SO MANY FAMILIES ARE THINKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. JOINING ME NOW WE’RE GOING TO HELP PARENTS PREPARE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE. WE HAVE ORLANDO HEALTH PEDIATRICIAN, DOCTOR KYIV KAPOOR. GOOD TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. HI. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? DOING GREAT. AND WE THANK YOU FOR HELPING US AS WE GET THOSE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL. LET’S START WITH CHECKUPS. WHAT DO PARENTS NEED TO KNOW BASED ON DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS? YEAH. SO MOST SCHOOL AGE KIDS REALLY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THREE YEARS OLD AND UP. THEY REQUIRE YEARLY CHECKUPS. SO CHECKUPS INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THE KID HAS A FULL PHYSICAL HEAD TO TOE, HAS THEIR VITALS TAKEN, THEIR HEART’S HEALTHY. YOU KNOW, ALL THEIR MUSCLES AND BONES ARE WORKING WELL. AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR VISION SCREENS THAT THEY CAN SEE AND ALSO THEIR IMMUNIZATIONS. ALL RIGHT. AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE SCHOOLS, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT’S A BIG FACTOR FOR PARENTS HERE. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILD? YEAH, DEFINITELY. SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE PATIENTS OR PARENTS TO REALLY COMMUNICATE WELL WITH THE SCHOOL. SO MAKE SURE THAT IF YOUR CHILD HAS ANY KIND OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS REQUIRES ANY ALLERGY MEDICATIONS OR ANY CHRONIC MEDICATIONS, ESPECIALLY THINGS LIKE EPINEPHRINE, THAT THE SCHOOL HAS THESE AVAILABLE. MOST SCHOOLS WILL HAVE A FORM THAT PARENTS CAN GET THEIR PHYSICIANS TO SIGN IF THEIR CHILD NEEDS TO HAVE ANY OF THESE MEDICATIONS ADMINISTERED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. YEAH, SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE ALL THAT WORKED OUT AND THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS I THINK PARENTS ARE TALKING TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT RIGHT NOW. SOME HEALTH HABITS BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. MAYBE A BIG ONE IS HANDWASHING. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO US ABOUT GUIDING THAT CONVERSATION? BECAUSE KIDS DON’T ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR US TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF. YEAH. I MEAN, THE BEST THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS TRY TO MAKE HANDWASHING FUN, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM SING A SONG LIKE HAPPY BIRTHDAY THAT LASTS ABOUT A MINUTE AND IS JUST ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE HANDS ARE CLEAN. AND ALSO JUST ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO DO IT OFTEN, LIKE THE MORE THAT YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT AT HOME, THEY’RE MORE LIKELY TO DO IT AT SCHOOL. SO BEFORE AND AFTER DINNER, OR EATING BEFORE AND AFTER THE BATHROOM, PLAYING OUTSIDE. IF YOUR CHILD SNEEZES, JUST SEND THEM A FRIENDLY REMINDER LIKE, HEY, MAYBE IT’S TIME TO GO DO THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG, OKAY? AND BACKPACKS. WE’RE ALL THINKING ABOUT THOSE. SOMETIMES THEY’RE OVERLOADED. WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW TO PREVENT INJURIES? YEAH. SO SCHOOL BACKPACKS SHOULD NOT WEIGH MORE THAN ABOUT 10 TO 15% OF THE CHILD’S WEIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR KID IS GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU HAVE THOSE HEAVY TEXTBOOKS, JUST TRY TO GET THEM TO NOT BRING HOME MORE THAN EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED FOR THAT DAY. AND ONLY THE TEXTBOOKS THAT THEY NEED TO COMPLETE THEIR HOMEWORK FOR THAT DAY. AND THE BACKPACK SHOULD ALSO NOT BE MORE THAN FOUR INCHES BELOW THEIR WAIST AND SHOULD IDEALLY HAVE GOOD CHEST STRAPS AND SHOULDER STRAPS THAT ARE PADDED. ALSO. ALL RIGHT, GREAT INFORMATION. THE FINAL THING HERE, AS WE LET YOU GO, DOCTOR, WHAT’S THE BIG TAKEAWAY FOR MOMS AND DADS HERE IN OUR LAST FEW SECONDS AS WE START OFF A BRAND NEW SCHOOL YEAR? YOU KNOW, GET EXCITED, GET YOUR CHILD READY, YOU KNOW, REALLY EASE ANY OF THE NERVES. TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT ANY NERVES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND YOU KNOW, MY BIGGEST TIP? MAKE SURE YOU GET THE SLEEP IN. BECAUSE THOSE LONG HOURS AND LONG DAYS, YOU NEED YOUR CHILD TO BEAUTY REST. YEAH, WE ALL NEED SOME OF THAT ORLANDO HEALTH PEDIATRICIAN DOCTOR GAYATHRI KAPOOR, GREAT TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING AND THANKS FOR ALL THIS AMAZING INFORMATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. NOW WE’RE GOING TO POST A LINK TO ALL OF THI
Central Florida doctor outlines back-to-school physical health checklist
WESH 2’s Jason Guy and Orlando Health pediatrician, Dr. Gayathri Kapoor, discuss necessary check-ups, communication tips, proper hand-washing habits and more to ensure students’ health throughout the academic year.
Updated: 10:00 AM EDT Aug 7, 2025
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WESH 2’s Jason Guy and Orlando Health pediatrician, Dr. Gayathri Kapoor, discuss necessary check-ups, communication tips, proper hand-washing habits and more to ensure students’ health throughout the academic year. Kapoor’s recommendations for families include:Knowing and completing the necessary health check-ups for children based on age group:Children 3 years and older are required to undergo yearly checkupsOlder children playing sports may require physicalsChildren in high school needing sports physicals also require an electrocardiogram, or ECG, which can be completed at Orlando Health.Informing the school of any medical conditions, medications, or allergies in advance: Physicians can fill and sign a form that allows the child to carry medications or keep medications in the nurse’s office at school.If your child has severe allergies or anaphylaxis, ensure that your child has emergency medications (e.g. EpiPen or intranasal spray)Discussing and practicing proper hand-washing habits with children:Hands should be washed for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song, or for about one minute.Be sure to wash palm to palm, the back of hands, fingernails, between fingers, base of thumbs and wrists.Wash before eating, after going to the bathroom, playing outside, sneezing, and playing with pets.Making sure students’ backpacks are appropriately sized to prevent injury: The bottom of the backpack should be at waist level. The backpack should not weigh more than 10% of the child’s weight. Avoid single strapsUse a backpack with waist and chest straps and padded straps for extra shoulder protection Click here to learn more about Orlando Health.
WESH 2’s Jason Guy and Orlando Health pediatrician, Dr. Gayathri Kapoor, discuss necessary check-ups, communication tips, proper hand-washing habits and more to ensure students’ health throughout the academic year.
Kapoor’s recommendations for families include:
Knowing and completing the necessary health check-ups for children based on age group:
- Children 3 years and older are required to undergo yearly checkups
- Older children playing sports may require physicals
- Children in high school needing sports physicals also require an electrocardiogram, or ECG, which can be completed at Orlando Health.
Informing the school of any medical conditions, medications, or allergies in advance:
- Physicians can fill and sign a form that allows the child to carry medications or keep medications in the nurse’s office at school.
- If your child has severe allergies or anaphylaxis, ensure that your child has emergency medications (e.g. EpiPen or intranasal spray)
Discussing and practicing proper hand-washing habits with children:
- Hands should be washed for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song, or for about one minute.
- Be sure to wash palm to palm, the back of hands, fingernails, between fingers, base of thumbs and wrists.
- Wash before eating, after going to the bathroom, playing outside, sneezing, and playing with pets.
Making sure students’ backpacks are appropriately sized to prevent injury:
- The bottom of the backpack should be at waist level.
- The backpack should not weigh more than 10% of the child’s weight.
- Avoid single straps
- Use a backpack with waist and chest straps and padded straps for extra shoulder protection
Click here to learn more about Orlando Health.
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