Archive for October, 2006
When talking to children about health, it seems that nutrition and exercise usually take the lead role. In many instances, sleep is left out of the equation. The Ithaca Times ( link ) states, “a good night’s sleep now appears to be every bit as important to good health and long life as a nutritious diet and regular exercise.”
Children need to know that exercise and nutrition are important, but teaching them about proper sleep habits at a young age is imperative. There are many health risks that adults face when they get improper amounts of sleep. “The Institute of Medicine issued a report confirming links between sleep deprivation and an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and stroke. Some scientists are exploring possible connections between inadequate sleep and a decline in immune function.” Why is this important to children? With the obesity epidemic facing the youth of the world, lack of sleep will just be another contributing factor to their poor health. A parent’s job is always difficult, especially when it comes to their children’s health. A combination of a proper diet, exercise, and adequate amounts of sleep for children are all steps in the right direction.
Hold on to your seats….. “a short sleep can hasten the arrival of the inevitable long sleep. The largest study of sleep duration and mortality was published in February 2002 in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The Cancer Prevention Study II of the American Cancer Society followed more than a million participants for six years. The best survival was found among those who slept about seven hours a night, the worst among those who slept less than 4.5 hours. Too much sleep — nine hours or more — also was associated with a higher risk of mortality.”
“Without enough sleep, the cost in reduced memory, focus, concentration and reaction time is well established. Incidents in the lore of sleep research include the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster. In each, key decisions were made by people who were sleep-deprived. Sleep is essential to the workings of every organ. And it seems that the connection between sleep and health starts at the brain’s central command post, the hypothalamus. There, sleep or lack of it can work to activate, or inhibit, hormone production. There, too, is where the body gets the signal to go to bed, to wake up and to adjust temperature, blood pressure, digestive secretions and immune activity. Inadequate sleep works on hormone production in other areas as well. Without enough sleep, the central nervous system becomes more active, inhibiting the pancreas from producing adequate insulin, the hormone the body needs to digest glucose.”
How much sleep does a schoolchild need? According to netdoctor ( link ), “A schoolchild usually needs to sleep about 10 hours every night. When deciding their bedtime, it is important to bear in mind what time the child has to go to school in the morning and how long it will take them to get ready and travel to school. This way, the child will get a good night’s sleep and feel rested in the morning. If not, your child won’t get the best out of school and every morning will be a hassle, trying to get a tired child out of bed. Parents must decide on a suitable bedtime for the child’s sake.”
October 26th, 2006
by Len Saunders
This week had many reports out stating how the United States had the highest population of overweight people. This does not come as a surprise with the types of food eaten here, along with the sedentary lifestyle prevalent in this society. MSN ( link ) has written a beautiful article supporting the need for daily physical education and physical fitness in the United States. “Only 20 years ago, what you weighed was mainly your own concern. That was before statistics showed that 60 percent of adult Americans weigh too much, and 17 percent of American children and teens are overweight or obese, too. “Overweight” is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of between 25 and 29.9, and “obese” as having a BMI of 30 or higher. With such a large percentage of the population weighing more than is healthy, the public-health implications of being overweight have taken on greater importance. The burgeoning percentage of heavy Americans has economic consequences, too. Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and RTI International estimated that 2003 health-care costs attributable to obesity reached $75 billion, with taxpayers picking up about half of the bill through programs like Medicare and Medicaid.”
If you are a regular visitor to this web site, you have seen these statistics before. I have said it once, and I will say it again. PARENTS need to take a lead role in reducing the rate of overweight and obese children or their children’s life expectancy will grow lower and lower. Healthy habits need to start at a very young age. Waiting for the children to figure out how to exercise and eat healthy on their own may prove to be fatal in the long run. NOW is the time to act.
The article also mentions the relationship between socioeconomic background and being overweight. “Scientists are studying the relationship between economic status and weight. The Journal of American Medical Association published a study in May 2006 from researchers at Johns Hopkins University indicating that teenagers who are living at or below the poverty line show a greater prevalence of being overweight than teenagers who do not live in economically depressed areas.” There are many who refuse to admit this as an issue, but it is true. The unhealthy foods in most instances are cheaper, easier to make, and tastier.
October 19th, 2006
by Len Saunders
A very hot topic over the years has been whether strength training for children is safe or unsafe. More and more research is now coming out stating it is safe as long as it is done properly, age appropriate, and performed under adult supervision. The main problem has always been children lifting weights that were just too heavy for them. Too heavy meaning there was very low repetition along with some injury. If a child lifts too much weight, they are putting too much strain on their young muscles, tendons and growth plates, especially when proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight. To clear it up, strength training for children is not about lifting the heaviest weight, but about low repetition exercises. The Mayo Clinic ( link ) has stated, “The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association all support strength training for kids — if it’s done properly. Today’s children are increasingly overweight and out of shape. Strength training can help put them on the lifetime path to better health and fitness.”
Snip….. Benefits for young athletes
Strength training for kids has gotten a bad reputation over the years. Lifting weights, for example, was once thought to damage young growth plates — areas of cartilage that have not yet turned to bone. Experts now realize that with good technique and the right amount of resistance, young athletes can avoid growth plate injuries. Strengthening exercises, with proper training and supervision, provide many benefits to a young athlete.
Supervised strength training that emphasizes proper technique:
- Increases your child’s muscle strength and endurance
- Protects your child’s muscles and joints from injury
- Helps improve performance in a particular sport
Your child may gain other health benefits from strength training, too. These include:
- Better heart and lung function
- A healthy body composition
- Stronger bones
- Lower blood cholesterol levels
- A good fitness habit that lasts a lifetime
Some studies suggest that improved self-esteem and a decreased chance of depression also are upshots of strength training. Your child may get a feel-good boost after improving his or her performance…..Snip
Very young children should focus on technique and form. A ‘fun’ environment should be created to build a positive attitude towards fitness and sport. Important lifelong habits begin at a young age. As the children start to get older and get involved in a favorite sport, the strength training can get more specific. Whether a child participates in football or dance, strength training will enhance their performance if done correctly.
October 12th, 2006
by Len Saunders
Many parents come to me and ask why their child is so ‘clumsy.’ I usually hear something like, “I don’t understand why they trip over their own feet” referring to walking. They have trouble balancing, tying their shoe, or run uncoordinated. I tell the parents their children may have something called Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD).
PsychNet-UK states, “Developmental Coordination Disorders also know as developmental dyspraxia, are characterized as being “clumsy” or “awkward”. Children with developmental coordination disorder have difficulties with motor coordination as compared to other children of the same age. These children have difficulties in mastering gross motor coordination tasks such as crawling, walking, jumping, standing on one foot, catching a ball and fine coordination task such as tying shoelaces. Some children also demonstrate expressive speech problems.
Believe it or not, roughly 6% of school-age children have some degree of developmental coordination disorder. It can sometimes occur with other forms of learning disorders.
Some common symptoms to look for may be delayed crawling, walking, or sitting up in babies. In older children, problems with fine motor skills such as handwriting or coloring, and poor gross motor skills with skills such as hopping, skipping, galloping, or jumping. If your child cannot perform some of the above skills, it does not mean they have DCD, just suggestions as to what to watch out for.
If you notice any coordination problems, talk with your child’s pediatrician or physical education teacher for evaluation. Depending on how severe the DCD may appear, working with your child on various skills can improve their skills immensely.
October 4th, 2006
by Len Saunders