As students prepare to return to the classroom, Sunshine Coast Health is reminding parents that nutritious lunchboxes and good hygiene habits play a key role in a healthy start to the school year.
Sunshine Coast's Public Health Unit are urging parents to reinforce the importance of hand washing, to ensure a healthy start to the school year.
Public Health Physician Dr Nicolas Smoll said hand washing is the best way to beat the surge of germs that combine in the classroom, after school holidays.
Dietitian Stacey O'Donnell said when it comes to lunchboxes parents should include foods that will keep kids full, but not to stress about curating perfect meals.
“I think parents put a lot of pressure on school lunch boxes and can get quite stressed when lunchboxes come home uneaten."
"I think taking the pressure off your school lunch boxes and really think about making sure that your child has a really nutritious breakfast before they go to school and also their afterschool snacks and dinner," Stacey said.
Parents of Year 7 and 10 students should also keep an eye out for School Immunisation Program consent forms during Term One.
School clinics offer free immunisations for Year 7 students against human papillomavirus (HPV) and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough), while Year 10 students can receive the meningococcal vaccine.
These are sent via email for schools on the Sunshine Coast, while in Gympie paper versions will be sent home with students.
"Parents should talk with their children about the vaccination clinics and make sure they fill out the consent form by the due date," Public Health Nurse, Immunisation Wendy Tout said.