Piedmont Shares Tips to Help Children Start the School Year Healthy
Cartersville, Ga. (July 21, 2026) — As families prepare for the start of a new school year, Piedmont encourages parents to take steps now to help children return to the classroom healthy, rested and ready to learn.
“Back-to-school season is a good opportunity to make sure children are physically and emotionally prepared for the year ahead,” said Kyle Taylor, M.D., with Piedmont Primary Care at Cartersville. “Parents should review their child’s overall health, wellness visits, immunizations, sleep habits and emotional well-being before the school year begins.”
Dr. Taylor offers the following tips to help students start the school year on the right foot:
Prioritize Healthy Sleep Habits
As summer routines come to an end, families should begin gradually adjusting bedtimes and wake-up times to align with the school schedule. Adequate sleep plays an important role in a child’s ability to learn, concentrate and maintain overall health.
Doctors generally recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep each night for children ages 6 to 12 and eight to 10 hours for teenagers.
Focus on Good Nutrition
Proper nutrition helps children stay focused and energized throughout the school day. Parents should encourage balanced meals that include lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables while limiting foods and beverages with added sugars.
A healthy breakfast can include foods such as whole-grain bread, oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit.
Teach Good Hand Hygiene
Classrooms and other school environments can increase exposure to germs. Handwashing remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of illness.
Parents should remind children to wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating and after using the restroom.
Avoid Overloaded Backpacks
Heavy backpacks can place strain on a child’s neck, shoulders and back. Dr. Taylor recommends using backpacks with two padded shoulder straps and ensuring the contents weigh no more than 15% of a child’s body weight.
Children should wear both straps to distribute weight evenly.
Schedule Physicals and Wellness Visits
Many schools require sports physicals for students participating in athletics, and some extracurricular activities may require them as well. Sports physicals help identify potential health concerns and typically include a review of vital signs, heart and lung health, flexibility, joint function and medical history.
In addition to annual wellness visits with a primary care doctor, sports physicals are available at Piedmont Urgent Care locations, as well as select Prompt Care and Piedmont QuickCare locations.
Check in on Mental Health
The transition back to school can be exciting for some students and stressful for others. Dr. Taylor encourages parents to have open conversations with their children about school, friendships and any concerns they may be experiencing.
“Parents should be having really good open conversations with their kids and not hesitate to make an appointment so we can put a good success plan in place for the child,” Dr. Taylor said.
Ensure Immunizations Are Up to Date
Several vaccinations and booster doses are required before students enter kindergarten, seventh grade and 11th grade. Colleges and universities may also require updated immunization records for incoming freshmen.
Parents can review Georgia’s immunization requirements by visiting the Georgia Department of Public Health’s school vaccine webpage.
“Taking care of these important health needs before school starts can help students stay healthy, avoid missed classroom time and focus on learning,” Dr. Taylor said.
To schedule an appointment, visit Piedmont.org.
About Piedmont
Piedmont is empowering Georgians by changing health care. We continue to fuel Georgia’s growth through safe, cost-effective, high-quality care close to home through an integrated health care system that provides a hassle-free, unified experience. We are a private, not-for-profit organization that for centuries has sought to make a positive difference in every life we touch in the communities we serve. Across our 2,000 physical locations we care for more than 4.5 million patients and serve communities that comprise 85 percent of Georgia’s population. This includes 27 hospitals, 115 immediate care locations, 1,875 Piedmont Clinic physician practices and more than 3,900 Piedmont Clinic members. Our patients conveniently engage with Piedmont online, as they scheduled more than 657,000 online appointments and over 239,000 virtual visits. With nearly 50,000 care givers we are the largest Georgia-based private employer of Georgians, who all came for the job, but stayed for the people. In 2024 and 2023, Piedmont has earned recognition from Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and also as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women. In 2022, Forbes ranked Piedmont on its list of the Best Large Employers in the United States. Piedmont provided more than $844 million in community impact in Fiscal Year 2024.
For more information, or to book your next appointment, visit piedmont.org.
