Healthy kids make happy kids. Here are some tips for starting off the new school year on the right foot.

Back(pack) to school:
Today, a backpack is as much a part of back-to-school gear as new shoes and notebooks. However, overweight backpacks can result in neck, shoulder or back strain.

“Backpacks shouldn’t exceed 10 percent to 15 percent of a child’s body weight,” says Paul Bassel, M.D., a pediatrician on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Garland.

A wheeled backpack is best for heavy-duty use, Dr. Bassel says, since most of the day it can be rolled around instead of carried. Overpacking is still a concern, though, as it will have to be lifted on occasion.

“Also, sometimes even if the school has lockers, kids say there’s not enough time between classes to access them,” Dr. Bassel says. “So it’s important for parents to help children decrease the weight of backpacks by leaving unneeded items at home.”

Choosing a well-designed backpack also can help alleviate the strain. The best ones have thick, padded straps and a padded back, as well as a waist belt to keep the backpack close to the body and distribute some of the load to the pelvis. The only challenge is convincing your child to wear it correctly, using both shoulder straps instead of only one.

Car safety:
Are your children’s car seats installed properly? Many well-meaning parents install them incorrectly, since the combinations of different seat belts and car seats can be confusing.

Dr. Bassel adds that older children who weigh more than 60 pounds are safest in booster seats, which simply elevate the child to position the seat belt properly. “Your goal is for the lap belt to be positioned over the child’s hip bones, rather than the tummy, and for the shoulder belt to be positioned over the collarbone, rather than the neck,” he says.

Booster seats, unlike the more elaborate car seats sold in stores, can be difficult to find; ask your pediatrician for manufacturer recommendations.

Shots for school:
Back to school can mean back to the doctor’s office for required vaccines. Most schools require proof of immunization for enrollment, unless you have a religious or medical reason for not vaccinating.

Even if your child received all of his or her shots as an infant or toddler, he or she might need a booster. Children typically receive their final doses of the polio vaccine, the diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTaP) vaccine and the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine between ages 4 and 6. “It’s very important for children to have these vaccines before they start school,” Dr. Bassel says.

Also, if your child missed any of the earlier vaccines, such as varicella (chickenpox), which was recently introduced, now would be a good time to catch up. Dr. Bassel says, “The chickenpox vaccine has been tremendously successful - it’s reduced the incidence of chickenpox fivefold.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends four vaccines for teenagers, and even college kids are not immune. “The incidence of bacterial meningitis increases from about age 15 into the early 20s, so any student heading off to college should receive the meningococcal vaccine,” Dr. Bassel says. Talk to your pediatrician to find out if any of these vaccines are right for your older child.

Fitness focus:
America’s obesity epidemic affects kids too. If your children don’t get enough exercise, you can help.

“Try to find an activity that your child enjoys, and make it a routine,” Dr. Bassel says. You might enroll your child in a sport, either in school or outside school. “It could be gymnastics, basketball - anything he or she likes to do.”

Also, encourage your child to unplug. “There is a direct correlation between the number of hours kids watch TV or play video games and the prevalence of obesity,” Dr. Bassel says. The idea is to limit time spent on those activities and get kids involved in active play. When it comes to your child’s overall health, every little bit of exercise helps.

Baylor Medical Center at Garland