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Thousands of Bay Area children are heading back to the classroom, out on the playground, and to the lunch table.

The physicians of Camino Medical Group (CMG) suggest these five simple, yet essential, things you can do to help your child have a healthy school year.

Children typically get several outdoor recesses each day, often under the blazing noontime sun.

It is important to apply sunscreen to their faces, ears and necks, and arms and legs (if they're wearing shorts or a skirt).

Sunburns sustained as a child increase skin cancer risk as an adult.

There are small roll-on sunscreens that you can put in your child's backpack too.

Kids are more alert and do better in school if they eat a good breakfast every day.

It is also an easy meal to fit the daily minimum requirements for vitamins, fiber and protein in cereals, wheat bread, eggs and other nutritious options.

Also, pack a healthy (low or no sugar) lunch and snack.

If they buy "hot lunch" at school, encourage them to make healthy choices.

3. Encourage an active day and a good night's sleep.

All children need to get enough sleep.

Sports give children a productive alternative to watching TV or playing video games.

4. Make sure they aren't carrying an overloaded backpack.

Often crammed with everything from lunches to laptops, overloaded backpacks can give kids stiff necks, sore shoulders and aching backs.

Students should carry the pack on both shoulders to spread the weight, and tighten the straps so the bag lies about two inches above their waist.

Students are constantly exposed to germs, so they need to be diligent and habitual about washing their hands frequently.

For more recommendations on preventive health care, visit the CMG Web site: www.caminomedical.org.

A top-rated health care provider, Camino Medical Group is dedicated to providing high quality health care to its 200,000 Bay Area patients.

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