Back To School
Now your kids are back to school and have returned to sports, it can be a stressful time of the year. Getting the kids ready during the week can feel like there are a million things to do. Don’t worry; we are here to help!
Tip 1 - Get adjusted –
Children returning to the classroom means exposure to bugs and viruses that may leave your family feeling run down or fatigued. It also means your child will be sitting down for hours on end. This can have a negative effect on their immune system and posture. Getting adjusted will help build a healthy nervous system that will have your child’s brain and body communicating and functioning at 100 %, improving posture and developing a stronger immune system.
Tip 2 – Good sleep routine
Are your kids continuing to wake you up at night, or are they struggling to fall asleep? Consistent sleep is crucial for your child's overall health and is super important for their development. Sleep problems in children and young adolescents are very common; studies have suggested that lack of sleep can influence both physical and emotional health and can be associated with behaviour issues, mood swings, worsening school performance, fatigue, and obesity (3). As your lives get busier throughout the year, having a routine and structure around sleep can benefit the whole family.
We recommend having a consistent bedtime for the kids every night and sticking to it, allowing your child to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night – sleep is when their bodies recover, develop, and heal.
Having a good pillow is essential. Ensuring the pillow is the right height and support for your child will go a long way in encouraging a healthy sleep cycle and supporting good posture. Sleeping with two or more pillows can cause your child to sleep with the neck curved to the side or upwards, causing strain and stress on the neck. Keeping the neck in a neutral/straight position while sleeping is best. Bring your pillow to your next appointment for a free assessment.
Finding the right sleeping position for your child is crucial. Avoid tummy sleeping; side and back sleeping is preferred. When sleeping on our stomachs, we put our bodies, especially our necks, into awkward positions for long periods, which can lead to posture issues and possibly pain in the future. If your children are sleeping on their stomachs, try attaching some to their front like a tennis ball to stop them from turning onto their stomachs in the night.
Tip 3 - Well packed backpack –
Backpacks represent one of the most common physical stressors children will face in our society, no matter how old the school bag or your children are.
Has your child ever complained about the weight of their backpack, or have you picked up their school bag and thought, “wow, this is heavy?”. Past research suggests school bags with a load ranging up to 20% and over of a child’s body weight have been linked to changes in their posture and gait, and could increase musculoskeletal injury risk, fatigue, redness, swelling and discomfort (1). 79.1% of children find their school bags heavy, and 46.1% of children with heavy school bags have back pain (2). These studies suggest that a backpack should not be any heavier than 10-15% of your child’s body weight (1).
Check out our Instagram and past blog for the correct way to wear and pack your child's bag.
https://www.evolvingchiropractic.com.au/blog/5-tips-for-a-perfectly-fitted-backpack
If you have any questions regarding children and chiropractic or whether we might be able to help you and your family at Evolving Chiropractic, please give us a call on 9736 3322 or email us at admin@evolvingchiropractic.com.au
Perrone M, Orr R, Hing W, Milne N, Pope R. The impact of backpack loads on school children: A critical narrative review. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2018 Nov;15(11):2529.
Negrini S, Carabalona R. Backpacks on! Schoolchildren’s perceptions of load, associations with back pain and factors determining the load. Spine. 2002 Jan 15;27(2):187-95.
Bathory E, Tomopoulos S. Sleep regulation, physiology and development, sleep duration and patterns, and sleep hygiene in infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children. Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care. 2017 Feb 1;47(2):29-42.