The Ministry of Health named 8 habits that should be developed in a child before starting school
Kyiv • UNN
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine published a list of useful habits for schoolchildren. These include regular handwashing, oral hygiene, and monitoring screen time.
Before the start of the school year, parents should help children develop basic personal hygiene and healthy lifestyle habits that they will be able to follow independently at school. This was reported by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, UNN writes.
Details
The Ministry of Health noted that after the school year begins, parents can no longer constantly monitor whether a child washes their hands, drinks enough water, takes breaks while working with screens, or follows other healthy habits.
One of the main habits should be regular handwashing with soap for at least 20 seconds. This should be done before eating, after using the toilet, coughing or sneezing, contact with animals, and returning from outside. If it is not possible to wash their hands, the Ministry of Health advises using hand sanitizer. When washing, the palms, backs of the hands, areas between the fingers, and under the nails should be cleaned.
What habits will help a child stay healthy
Children should also be taught to drink water or beverages without added sugar regularly, without waiting until they feel thirsty. The Ministry of Health recommends giving a child a bottle of water to take along and using only their own bottle or glass.
When coughing or sneezing, a child should cover their mouth and nose with the crook of their elbow or a tissue, which should be thrown away immediately after use. This habit helps reduce the spread of infections among those around them.
Another important habit is brushing the teeth twice a day for 2–3 minutes with toothpaste appropriate for the child's age. The Ministry of Health advises rinsing the mouth after meals. Regular oral hygiene helps prevent tooth decay, gum inflammation, and bad breath.
During school, children are advised to move around during breaks after sitting at a desk for a long time. They can walk down the corridor, do several bends, rotate their heads, stretch their arms and legs, or perform several squats.
Smartphones and gadgets
The Ministry of Health also advises taking breaks while reading and working with screens. In particular, every 20 minutes, one should look at a distant object for 20 seconds, blink more often, and shift focus from nearby objects to distant ones.
Parents are also advised to pay particular attention to the use of smartphones and other gadgets. Screen time should not displace sleep, physical activity, live communication, and free play. During meals and conversations, it is better to put the smartphone aside, and the use of gadgets should be stopped at least 1 hour before bedtime.
Children should also be taught not to share personal hygiene items. Towels, toothbrushes, combs, and handkerchiefs should be for individual use, as infections can be transmitted through sharing such items.