Schools reopen in UAE after summer break

New uniforms, new books and an entire volley of ‘Back to School’ goodies, makes the experience of going back to school less painful for most kids. After an entire summer of lazing around and watching cartoons in their jammies, it’s not surprising that the youngsters in the country are ‘upset’ about waking up early to head back to their schools today.

Junaid Hamza, 12, a Pakistani national and student of a school in Sharjah, said: “I did miss my friends a lot, but I don’t miss studying or my teachers, honestly.”

Apart from getting back to their books, Chemistry labs, libraries and classrooms smelling of fresh paper, pupils could also be exposed to a barrage of sicknesses, fondly called the seasonal flu. Experts have warned parents to take additional care of their wards as schools in the UAE open today. “It is mainly because they have spent two months in the safe protection of their home environment. They have not been exposed to any kind of viruses or bacteria that could make them sick,” said Dr Medhat Abu- Shaaban, Consultant in Paediatrics and Allergy American Board. Dr Abu-Shaaban, along with registered dietician Jessica Sawyer, and Clinical psychologist Elena-Maria Andrioti spoke to the media on how parents and teachers can protect their children from diseases. Doctors are also advising parents to get flu shots for their children.

The right food

In a study conducted by the School Trust Fund in the UK it was found that pupils who bring packed lunches, on an average, consume more high-fat meat products and non-permitted food and drink items that are high in sugar, fat and salt. Sawyer, a registered dietitian and a nutritionist with the Primavera Medical Centre in Dubai, said that parents should have guidelines on what they should fill in their children’s lunchboxes. School authorities agree with Sawyer, and they stated that teachers encourage parents to pay attention to what their children eat in schools.

According to Sawyer, a healthy lunchbox should include a vegetable, fruit, protein (for example, meat), a dairy product, a wholegrain product and water.

Sandhya Awasthi, Principal, DPS Academy, Academic City, Dubai said: “As a school we have proactively provided suggestions and tips to parents to ensure that healthy food is sent from home. The school even has a menu/suggestion list uploaded on the website as a reference for parents to inculcate good eating habits in their children. We understand that the lunch box should be tempting and varied and hence when we guide the parents we keep this fact in mind.”

The school is in the process of making available healthy, ready meals for children. “Fruit and juices will be part of every meal with one main nutritious item. This meal will be served hot to the children in their classrooms. They wouldn’t have to jostle for their turn in a crowded canteen. It will also give them adequate time to play during break time,” Awasthi said.

She added that teachers constantly monitor the lunch students bring from home. “In the kindergarten section, teachers share meal times, with the students. We have instances where children curiously peep into what the teacher has got for herself and asks if the meal could be shared and the same could be brought another day. In case of junk food being sent, parents are called and advised to substitute it with nutritious meals. Students are discouraged from carrying junk food,” stated the principal.

Avoiding the flu

Cold and flu, sore throat and ear infection are the top three common infections suffered by students as school reopens, according to Dr Shaaban. “Cold and flu viruses tend to spread during the fall and winter seasons, which happen to be the time when schools start. Children staying together in a closed space for hours is one of the reasons for spread of infections,” added Dr Shaaban. He said that some parents send their children to school even when they are sick because they do not want them to miss any school days or because they have work and there is no one to take care of them. “This can be very critical since it only takes one child to spread the virus,” he said. “There are more cold and flu cases than ear infection but parents don’t visit the doctor every time their child has a cold. They do so only when the child starts screaming of pain because of ear infections,” he said.

Dr Shaaban added that more than 50 per cent of sore throats are caused by viruses. A paediatrician can indicate if it is a viral infection or a bacterial one within three minutes using a rapid strep test. Dr Shaaban warned parents about the overuse antibiotics. “Studies by the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that 30 to 50 per cent of antibiotics prescribed are unnecessary. This can lead to a surge in superbugs, bacteria that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics,” the doctor added.

Viruses can be spread through sneezing, coughing, talking, laughing or by touching contaminated surfaces. Washing the hands for 20 seconds is the best way to avoid the spread of viruses and bacteria Dr Shaaban said. He added that covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing is important. He advised pupils to do so using a tissue as bacteria can stay live on surfaces for 24 hours. Keeping hands away from the eyes and mouth, not sharing water bottles, food and personal items as well as taking flu vaccine are other important measures.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com