Back to School in Park Ridge/Niles/Des Plaines Area is August 20th, 2018
Active Health Ltd Park Ridge, Il a holistic practice serving children and adults of all ages
We’re at summer’s end and soon students in Park Ridge, IL will be going back to school! We know your priority is to keep your children safe, healthy and happy while attending classes. Our staff would like to share some of our favorite tips to promote your children’s health.
Backpacks can cause back pain
First, because we see so many young patients who have developed back issues, we’d like to talk about backpacks. Too heavy backpacks can cause pain and injury. It may seem to be a simple idea, but unfortunately we sometimes neglect to monitor the weight of the backpack compared to the child’s weight. The backpack should not be more that 15% of a child’s body weight. For example: if your child weighs 50 pounds, the backpack should be no heavier than 7.5 lbs. Use a scale to weigh the child with and without the backpack to be sure to maintain this ratio. The backpack itself should be well built, water resistant and well balanced. Adjustable padded straps should fit squarely and snugly across the back. Try out a few on your child before purchasing. It may be helpful to fill it with a few books before you have your child try it on. Purchasing the right back pack can save years of possible subluxations and spinal injury. Don’t skimp on quality here!
Prevention of Illness
Children have less developed immune systems than adults. As you may well know, a simple cold or flu bug can travel quickly throughout the classroom. To make matters worse, your child can bring it home and transfer it to you and other family members before they show signs of sickness. Proper hygiene is important, especially for the younger members of your family who still like to put things in their mouths. Make hand washing a habit by making it fun. While washing their hands, teach your children to sing Happy Birthday twice. We want them to get used to washing for at least 20 seconds. Use kid friendly soaps and scents, and make sure they can comfortably reach the sink, soaps and towels. Also, teach them to use mild hand sanitizer, like this one from The Honest Company. Finally, make sure you disinfect their play area and toys frequently. Check with your school and day care centers to what measures they take to promote a healthy play area.
PE and Sports
Children’s muscles, bones, and tendons are still growing. Make sure they warm up properly before the exercise or participate in sports. This will help prevent injury and pain. Create a fun stretching routine that they can do by themselves. Remember to choose wisely when selecting sports and other activities, make sure your child’s height, weight, and build is suited for the activity.
Sleep is Essential!
A child who is alert and well rested will have better focus and classroom participation than a sleepy child. And they are less prone to injuries and sickness. Children should get between 9 and 11 hours of sleep every night. This even applies to teenagers! Make sure you have a set bedtime, including weekends. Remove all electronics from the child one hour before bedtime. A soothing bath, bedtime stories, aromatherapy and a healthy high protein snack can aid in ensuring your child is relaxed and ready for sleep. Try to set their bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees. And limit their fluid intake for a couple of hours. Some parents are able to teach their children some simple meditation techniques. Proper sleep time should be a priority with few exceptions.
At Active Health in Park Ridge, we use all natural, non-invasive techniques to help patients achieve and maintain good health. We focus on educating young patients and their parents to enable them to make the best choices that last a lifetime.