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12 uw = 2 an HOW TO NAVIGATE THE NEW JOHANNA WEIDNER The start of school this B adjust to post-pandemic z*° a tron n many children, this is a new experience," " said Dr. Andrew Park, president of the Ontario Medical As- sociation. The association recently hosted an expert panel on this Sippie. le this school year will te ‘more like pre-pan- demic times in some re- spects, the doctors stressed that both children and their parents will be faced with lingering effects from the significant educational dis- ruptions caused by COVID over the past three years. And this fall, along with a worrying new variant, there's the added layer ofan expected busy flu and cold season. That triple threat could sicken children in great numbers. The experts shared tips for parents on how to keep their children healthy as they return to the class- room, as well as ways to anage the pandemic's lin- gering effects on their chil- dren's st well -being and devel- op! 'NORMAL' FOR KIDS THIS FALL ‘his is he os School year mic was declared o over, oot co- VID is still here and it will be with us," said Dr. Vinita Dubey, Toronto Public Health's associate medical officer of health. And based on what hap- pened with the cold and flu season ie the southern expect hie fall i is respirato- ry viruses will increase." VID-19 booster is expected this fall, and a flu shot can be given at the same time. While children may not get very sick when infected with COVID-19, long COVID and that debil- itating condition is best avoided. Preventive measures used during the height of the pandemic are still effec- tive. Stay home when sick, wash hands often, cover coughs, and spend time out- doors as much as possible. Mask use has shifted toa “risk-based approach," us- ing them based on circu stance rather than blanket mask-wearing. Masking is advised for those who are At IG Wealth Management, we believe in retirement planning that goes beyond RRSPs. With an IG Living Plan™ your retirement goals are synchronized with your whole financial picture. Let’s review your retirement goals today. Are you to achieve your retirement goals? 519.650.7250 Shari.Foster@ig.ca WEALTH MANAGEMENT SHARI FOSTER, CFP®, RRC, CHS, CDFA, CPCA Senior Financial Consultant Investors Group Financial Services Inc. Theanine Ysa ERS crore 202 waterloochronicle.ca © Investors Group Inc. Trademarks, including IG Wealth Management, Vadim Arzyukov photo and the transition back school this fall ied a great time for parents to put those limits in place for children. Screen time soared during the pandemic. personally at higher risk of becoming infected or when in a setting where chances are greater of coming into contact with the virus. "We — * take extra precautio. we are at high risk, " Huber said. ildren's screen time soared during the pandem- ic for both entertainment and education. That's time spent not playing, interact- ing with family and friends or enjoying the outdoors. "Solitary screen time al- so increases the chance that they'll be exposed to harm- ful or negative content," " Park said. Numerous risks are as- sociated with excessive creen time, including coming overweight, de. layed language and reading skills, nearsightedness, sleep problems, and diffi- culty regulating emotions. "They learn best from face-to-face interactions with caring adults and screen time is often a lost opportunity for these qual- ity interactions," said Dr. Katherine Matheson, child and adolescent psy- chiatrist at Children's Hos- pital of Eastern Ontario and a member of the Canadian Paediatric Society's digital health task fo: igate, use mindfully, model healthy habits. Minimize: Limits should be set on screen time. Chil- dren betwee! fo and five should spend no more than one hour a day while chil- dren under two should have none. Try having "tech-free zones," such asat the dinner table to promote bonding, and turn off: devices anhour before bedtim: Mitigate: Introduce five minutes of special time each day to be together without looking at screens. Mindful: Watch content See - page 13 OUR TIRES GO THE EXTRA MILE. SO DO WE. PEN COUNTRY A/T™ (ON-/OFF-ROAD ALL-TERRAIN TIRE The Open Country A/T ill all-terrain tire traction with responsive and predictable on-road handling. delivers gripping i durability and treadwear life, Toyo introduces Available in LT-Metric, Flotation sizes P/Euro-Metric and ance, 519.669.3232 371 Arthur St S, ELMIRA E emeen,| WWw.oKtireelmira.com (@ TX TIRE] Honestly driven.