Backpack Safety

Wow, families, can you believe that we only have a couple more weeks of summer left? With the closing of summer, comes the start of school. Some of our students may have already started their school year while some students are anxiously awaiting their approaching start. Whether you are excited, nervous or everything in between we know maintaining your child’s health and safety is always a top priority for you and our team at Kids Place Therapy Services.

Did you know that your child’s backpack should weigh less than 20% of their body weight? While a backpack is very useful for carrying many items, it can cause unnecessary pain and damage to the body when used incorrectly. Below, we have listed more tips and recommendations to maintain backpack safety.

  • Wear the straps on both shoulders with the bag pulled tightly against the back.
  • Use proper body mechanics when lifting the bag off the floor. (Bending at the knees, back straight)
  • Avoid hauling heavier books or items as often as possible.
  • If the load must exceed 20% of the child’s body weight use a rolling backpack or backpack with a strap that goes around the hips.
  • Choose a backpack with wider straps.

References:

Orthoinfo. I(2020). Backpack Safety. Retrieved from https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/backpack-safety/

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I Want to Ride my Bicycle, Bicycle, Bicycle

Think back to the carefree times when you were a kid. You would jump on your bike, cool summer breeze on your face, racing all the neighborhood kids, maybe even getting a little daring, and trying to make your front wheel pop off the ground. Now think about your little ones jumping on their bikes, does this make you nervous or excited? It is okay to feel a little bit of both because we know that with the joys of riding a bike also comes the inevitable crashes and accidents.

Riding a bike is an excellent way to work on building those larger muscle groups, coordination, improving cardiovascular and endurance skills and even working on some of those higher-level thinking and problem-solving tools. The staff here at Kids Place Therapy Services want our families to remember a few tips and strategies to stay safe while your little ones are out on their bicycles this summer.

Stay safe on bikes by following the tips below:

  • Measure your child’s height, weight and their head measurement prior to going to the store.
  • Look at the recommendations on the bike to see what bike will fit your child based on their height.
  • Look at the recommendations on the helmet to see if the circumference (measurement around the head) is listed. Helmets should sit comfortably 1 inch above the eyebrows and not wiggle on the rider’s head.
  • Bike seats and pedals should be secure.
  • Tires should be inflated to the indicated pressure.
  • Wear bright colors so that motorists can easily spot the riders.
  • Teach riders about looking both ways before crossing any place a car may cross.
  • Teach children at a young age how to identify different road signs and what they mean.

Sources:

Safewise. “Bike Safety for Kids.” Accessed June 5th, 2021. https://www.safewise.com/bicycle-safety-for-kids/#:~:text=Bike%20Safety%20for%20Kids,-By%20Katie%20McEntire&text=May%20is%20National%20Bike%20Month,you%20safe%20in%20the%20saddle.

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Keeping the Fun in the Summer Sun

Kids Place Therapy Services wants to remind families that June is Summer Safety Month! The weather is warming up, the sun is shining bright, our kids are out of school for the summer, and our families will be enjoying many outdoor adventures. The sun fuels tons of outdoor activities but can also pose a major risk to people’s health, especially in our little ones.

Here are some tips to keep your family safe:

  • Stay Hydrated.
    • Did you know that we should be drinking between a half ounce to an ounce for every pound that we weigh? Example: If you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink between 75 to 150 ounces of fluids per day or at least 9 glasses of water. This amount increases when we are perspiring.
  • Protect Your Body from Sun Damage.
    • Sunscreen should be applied following the directions on the bottle but generally 30 minutes before outdoor activities and reapplied every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
    • Wear sunglasses or a hat to protect your eyes from the damaging UV rays. (Remember sun damage can occur year-round.)
    • Limit sun exposure during the peak hours of 10am – 4pm.
    • Use shaded areas when possible.

Signs you have spent too much time in the sun:

  • Heat cramps: muscle aches or stomach cramping
    • Spend some time out of the heat relaxing for a few hours.
  • Heat Exhaustion: symptoms are similar to the flu including severe thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, clammy/ pale skin, dizziness or rapid pulse.
    • Contact a doctor if symptoms worsen or don’t improve within an hour of removing oneself from the heat.
  • Heat Stroke: very hot skin and exhibiting confusion.
    • Seek emergency services immediately, heat stroke can be life threatening.

Sources:

Community Health of Central Washington. “June is Summer Safety Month.” Accessed June 5th, 2021. https://chcw.org/june-is-summer-safety-month/.

WebMD. “Water and Your Diet: Staying Slim and Regular With H2O.” Accessed June 5th, 2021. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-for-weight-loss-diet#1

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Building Happiness

Just be happy! A common phrase we hear frequently. We know we feel better when we are happy, but why is this so? The answer lies in brain chemistry. When we process positive emotions our brain releases the “feel good” neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals improve our ability to organize and recall information, and solve problems more creatively and efficiently. When we are happy our brains actually function better!

Luckily there are things we CAN DO to increase positive emotions. Meditation is a powerful practice that increases positive emotions and over time even increases immune function. There are many approaches to meditation. One is to focus the attention on the breath. While lying down or sitting, close your eyes, and just bring your attention to your breath. If your mind wanders just bring your attention back to your breath without judgement. You can observe how your chest, ribs and shoulders move. Perhaps set a timer for 2-3 minutes and increase the number of minutes over time or practice meditation for a couple of minutes a few times per day. There are no “right” or “wrong” ways, so just play around and see what works for you…  Stay tune for more information and suggestions on increasing happiness!

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Yoga for Kids

Children often deal with emotional and social conflict, distractions and overstimulation in our world today.

Yoga is a tool that can help kids re-center themselves. Yoga uses breathing exercises which can energize kids or encourage relaxation.  Different breathing techniques/games help kids connect to how their bodies feel as a result of deep breathing.  Focus increases, stress is reduced and healthy hormones are released.

Here are some of the many benefits of teaching yoga to kids:

Yoga helps kids to:

  • Develop body awareness
  • Manage stress through breathing, awareness, meditation and healthy movement
  • Develops focus and concentration
  • Build strength and enhances flexibility
  • Refines balance and coordination
  • Boosts self-esteem and confidence

“Yoga is beneficial to children of all ages, but it has been found to be particularly so for kids with special needs. Studies have shown that yoga benefits children with autism and ADHD. NPR has reported that researchers surveyed teachers at a Bronx public school that had a daily yoga program and found that the program reduced kids’ aggressive behavior, social withdrawal, and hyperactivity, compared with a control group of kids with autism who did not practice yoga. Kristie Patten Koenig, Ph.D., an associate professor of occupational therapy at New York University who led the study, says that yoga was effective because it seemed to play to the strengths of kids with autism while also reducing stress. Autism Key, an autism support website, says that yoga helps address kids’ heightened anxiety, poor motor coordination, and weak self-regulation, something that otherwise is very difficult to do”. – an excerpt from “the benefits of yoga for kids” by Visi Tilak in Parents magazine found on https://www.parents.com/fun/sports/exercise/the-benefits-of-yoga-for-kids/

Kids Place Therapy Services offers yoga classes throughout the year. Enroll your child so that they may be able to experience the many benefits of yoga.

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