Not-so-unusual ailments
Unpack that bag
Homework really can be a pain in the neck. Experts say a backpack should weigh no more than 15 percent of a child's body weight, but most kids carry more.
The result: "We're seeing more children with neck, shoulder, and back problems," says Karen Jacobs, a spokesperson for the American Occupational Therapy Association.
To ease the strain, have your child:[UNORDERED_LIST {"Pack the heaviest items closest to the back of the pack" "Use the right-size bag (one that sits below the shoulder blades and extends no lower than the waist), with well-padded shoulder straps" "Wear the bag snug against his back" "Hand-carry a book or two if his backpack weighs a ton" "Empty out nonessentials daily"}]
Louse-y luck?
You may have heard that lice are gaining resistance to the shampoos that worked when we were kids. It's true, but for now Nix and Rid are still the best first line of defense, says Barbara Frankowski, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health.If you get the dreaded call from daycare or school, use a shampoo treatment and let your child return to class the next day. You may have to repeat the process a week later to kill newly hatched lice. If your child still has live lice after that second dose, she may have a resistant strain. Her doctor can help you weigh the risks of using a prescription shampoo that's stronger -- but also harsher -- than an over-the-counter.
Curious about insecticide-free alternatives? While meticulous combing without a shampoo works for some, it's not easy to pull off. Coating the hair in Cetaphil soap is your best bet for suffocating lice (it works better than home remedies like petroleum jelly, vinegar, and mayo). Visit nuvoforheadlice.com
Get moving!
Ten minutes of exercise may not sound like much, but that's all it takes to boost attention and focus in schoolkids, according to a recent study at East Carolina University, in Greenville, North Carolina. (Bonus: These mini-workouts add up to about 70 miles of movement a year!) If your child's school doesn't offer regular P.E., talk to the teacher about a daily ten-minute "get the wiggles out" session. For some creative ideas for schoolkids of all ages, click on "Energizers" at ncpe4me.com.
photo: PictureQuest
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