The year-end school holidays are a time for travel, play, and relaxation — but it’s also the perfect opportunity to focus on your child’s well-being and development. Why not use this time to schedule health checkups, as well as coaching or mentoring sessions? Read on to find out more!

Eye Checkups

Should you take your child to an optician or an eye specialist?

According to the Singapore National Eye Centre, up to 20 percent of children in Singapore now have high myopia. Myopia (shortsightedness) is a condition where the eye elongates too much, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. This makes distant objects appear blurry while near objects remain clear. 

High myopia is defined as more than 500 degrees in each eye, where "degrees" is a commonly used local term equivalent to diopters (D), the unit used globally to measure how much the eye's focusing ability deviates from normal. For example, 500 degrees is equivalent to -5.00D. A higher diopter value, such as -6.00D (600 degrees), indicates more severe myopia compared to -2.00D (200 degrees), with stronger lenses required to bring the light back into focus on the retina for clear vision.

Eye checkups are part of the national health screening programme from Primary 1 to 4, so you will be getting regular updates on your child’s eye health during this time. If you just want to get corrective lenses for your child, a visit to the optician will suffice. However, if you’re aiming to prevent conditions from worsening, or want to explore advanced treatments like atropine for myopia control, an eye specialist is the better choice. 

For your awareness: Atropine is a medication commonly used to slow down the progression of myopia in children. Administered as low-dose eye drops, it works by temporarily relaxing the focusing muscles of the eye and may also influence the way the eyeball grows, which is a key factor in myopia progression. Beyond atropine, other treatments to manage or control myopia include orthokeratology, which involves wearing specially designed contact lenses overnight to reshape the cornea and improve vision temporarily. 

Such approaches, often combined with increased outdoor activity and reduced near-work strain, aim to slow the progression of myopia and reduce the risk of complications associated with high myopia later in life, such as retina tears (when the retina is pulled away from its normal position, potentially leading to vision loss) and glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye, which can damage the optic nerve and result in vision loss).

Dental Care and Orthodontics

If you have a family dentist, you might have opted out of the school dental care programme for your child. To nip dental problems in the bud, do make time to schedule a dental appointment for your child during the year-end school holidays.

During these visits, apart from checking for cavities or other signs of tooth decay, the dentist can also check whether your child’s baby teeth are falling out and adult teeth are growing in the correct order and alignment. 

Parents should also keep an eye on signs like crooked or overlapping teeth, difficulty chewing, or an overbite/underbite, which might indicate the need for orthodontic treatment. Experts recommend starting discussions about orthodontics when a child is around seven to eight years old. This is the time to assess how their permanent teeth are coming in and explore potential treatment options and costs. However, actual orthodontic treatment, such as braces, typically begins once most of the permanent teeth have erupted, usually around the ages of 12 and 13. This timing ensures that the teeth and jaw are sufficiently developed for effective treatment.

Support for Acne Concerns

Beginning from the upper primary years, you may notice that your child is beginning to have acne issues, especially during stressful periods such as before exams. 

For mild cases of acne, your child can try simple remedies like acne patches. These patches are similar to a hydrocolloid dressing — hydrocolloids are a gel-like material that absorbs moisture, such as pus or oil, from wounds or pimples. They create an ideal healing environment by keeping the area moist and protected. Having a patch on also helps reduce the urge to pick at the acne, which can lead to scarring. Stick-on acne patches are easy to use and can be a convenient first step for managing mild acne.

If you are familiar with skincare products, you can also let your child try whatever has worked for you in the past. For instance, niacinamide is a popular ingredient that can be beneficial for managing mild acne. It is a form of vitamin B3, which helps to regulate oil production, reduce inflammation, and improve the skin's barrier function, making it effective for calming acne-prone skin. It is thought to be gentle and suitable for most skin types, including sensitive skin.

But if your child’s acne is more severe or persistent, it’s best to consult a dermatologist who can recommend effective treatments, such as prescription skin creams and antibiotics. Early intervention for more severe acne can help prevent long-term scarring and improve skin health over time. If your child is feeling disheartened by their skin issues, reassure them that modern-day treatments, such as lasers, can effectively address stubborn acne and even reduce the appearance of scars. If cost is an issue, visit a polyclinic as a first step — if the doctors on duty are unable to treat the condition, they will refer your child to the National Skin Centre at a subsidised rate.

Work With a Coach or Mentor

If your child is having motivation issues in school, or if they are undecided about what to do after milestone exams, linking them up with a mentor or life coach can be helpful.

What’s the difference between mentors and coaches?

A mentor is a role model who shares their knowledge and skills with your child, in order to help your child grow. A coach is someone who can help your child identify current roadblocks and solutions, so that they can reach their full potential. The table below helps to illustrate the difference:

Anyone can be an academic mentor to your child, as long as they are willing to spend quality time conversing with your child on a regular basis. If your child’s school does not have a mentoring system, the best mentors would be your trusted friends and family members (or their children), whom you are already in regular contact with.

For coaching, you can probably find a certified life coach within your social network, and friends may offer your child a discounted rate. If not, you can sign up for budget-friendly programmes like Coaching for Change, where your child can work with a trainee coach for up to six sessions, without having to pay coaching fees. In return, you will be asked to donate to a beneficiary charity.

Want to chat with other parents about school life in Singapore? Join the conversation on our KSP forum!