This week is “Every Kid Healthy^TM Week” which celebrates achievements in school, health, and wellness. Every Kid Healthy™ Week is an annual observance created in 2013 to celebrate school health and wellness achievements. Recognized on the calendar of National Health Observances and observed the last full week of April each year, each day of the week shines a spotlight on the great actions schools and families are taking to improve the health and wellness of their kids and the link between nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and learning – because healthy kids are better prepared to learn and thrive!

This year, even with COVID-19, Every Kid Healthy^TM Week is still taking place. Join us in celebrating from your house by following along with each day’s theme and promoting wellness, good nutrition, and physical activity with your own family.

• Mindfulness Monday – Teach kids mindfulness techniques such as journaling, focusing on their breathing, or yoga.
• Tasty Tuesday – Help kids explore healthy options by cooking a healthy meal at home together or picking new fruits and veggies for the family to explore. For children who cannot taste, consider other senses like smelling, feeling, or touching.
• Wellness Wednesday – Encourage kids to get outdoors and embrace the fresh air, learning about gardens through a hands-on project, and picking up trash or recycling.
• Thoughtful Thursday – Inspire kids to be creative through art and imaginative play.
• Fitness Friday – Promote physical health through exercise, a backyard family fitness course, or a PE class.

At Paragon Healthcare, our goal is to improve the health and wellness of our youngest patients who require nutrition support. We recognize kids are different, and our Shine program is designed to help our pediatric patients succeed in everyday life, including school! Our pediatric-trained nutrition support team is here to help our youngest heroes overcome any challenge.

How does Paragon Healthcare empower our little heroes?

• We provide a comprehensive and ongoing nutrition evaluation by a board-certified pediatric dietitian. Our dietitians are involved in the nutrition plan every step of the way!
• Equipment and supplies are tailored to provide freedom and ease for busy families and active children.
• We provide individualized equipment and therapy education by our clinicians so that each family is confident in the treatment plan.
• Our team works closely with the family and physician to ensure a seamless transition for the child from the hospital to the home setting.
• We provide a collaborative approach and have a dedicated team that follows each patient.
• We offer support 24/7 to our patients’ families and caregivers throughout their time on our service.

Here are some tips on supporting your child on TPN or tube feeds at school:

• Communication – Reach out to your school nurse and teacher before the start of the school year to ensure at least two people are trained to meet your child’s needs while at school. Ask about the possibility of periodic meetings to enhance care coordination.
• Paperwork – Have a 504 plan or IEP prepared, and that addresses your child’s specific needs. Consider asking your child’s medical care team to provide a letter of medical necessity to outlines your child’s tube feeding or TPN needs.
• Ask Questions – What does the school allow? Where can your child’s supplies be stored? Can they provide extra time and/or space, for providing the feeds? How will you be informed about missed feeds or other issues? How will changes to your child’s feeding plan need to be communicated?
• Safety – Ensure designated staff are trained on cleaning, preparing, and providing the therapy correctly. Consider periodic refresher training.
• Be Prepared – Make sure you have an emergency kit at the school at all times. Provide a backup G-tube button or foley, extension sets, swab caps or other central line care items, supplies for flushes and feeds, troubleshooting guidelines, and an emergency contact list.
• Involve Your Child – Normalize the need for nutrition support with your child as much as possible. Ask if they’d like to involve their classmates with a book or short video on the type of nutrition your child needs.

For more information about Every Kid Healthy Week, visit https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/get-involved/every-kid-healthy-week/

For more information about Paragon, visit https://paragonhealthcare.com/.