Schooling From Home, or, Why Is My Kid in Pain?
Schooling from Home
Remote learning health tips to prevent poor posture and health problems in children.
Our current situation with COVID 19 and children doing remote learning is raising concerns for some parents about their children's health. Some children are studying hunched over their laptops because they do not have a proper setup to promote good body posture. This can cause children to develop both neck and back pain. Also, without the scheduled school activities, some children are being less active and not getting the exercise their growing bodies need. This can also affect their posture but can lead to other health problems as well.
When I think about my school days or those of my kids, I think about the constant activity. There was recess, playing outside at lunchtime, PE, walking to and from school. With COVID-19 and the stay-at-home orders and school closures, today’s “classroom” experience is far from that. Kids are at home, in more confined spaces, have more limited activity (some playgrounds in my area just re-opened, but are still capacity-limited, and most after-school activities are restricted or non-existent), and needing to be quiet and calm indoors so that their WFH parents can get their work done. Honestly, having raised 2 very active boys, I don’t know how parents are coping; I can only imagine their challenges!
Could your child be suffering from poor posture?
Recent Incidence
I saw a young boy recently who came in for neck and back pain. He did not fall off the swings or make a bad slide tackle in soccer. On the contrary, his pain was the result of SFH (Schooling From Home). That is, he told me that he had 4 hours a day of Zoom lessons, plus homework, with small breaks of 5-10 minutes between lessons. I won’t go into the incredible disparities in distance learning and do recognize that many students have far less on-screen time with their teachers, but for a child’s body, this is NOT normal activity. Kids are movement machines and learn as much physically as they do mentally and the two are interconnected. Lack of physical activity and stimulation is as bad as a lack of mental stimulation.
What this boy was complaining of, neck and back pain from being at the computer for hours on end is what 30-60 year-olds come into my office with, not what is normal or typical for young children. Sadly, we have seen the rise of “text neck” with teens and poor posture because of too much screen time with young adults, but to see computer-related postural problems in young children makes me very sad indeed.
What's behind children having adult spinal pain?
Let's take a closer look at some of the key factors causing spinal pain in children and solutions to the problem.
Poor ergonomics
Static Postures
Lack of Physical Activity
Stress
1. Poor Ergonomics
If you read my previous 3-part blog on Working From Home (if not, please do read it for more detailed instructions and tips), you'll know how important ergonomics is. For example, you should sit with your spine “stacked” with head on top of the pelvis, keeping normal spinal curvatures. Your screen should be across from your face, and your arms bent to about 90 degrees at the elbow. To accomplish this, you absolutely must have a separate keyboard. Period. If not, the keyboard is either too high with the screen up across from your face, or just right for your arms, but with the screen much too low for your head and neck. The use of iPads complicates this as not every iPad can use a separate keyboard or is exchangeable with every keyboard. Some school-issued laptops may not be compatible or have ports to attach a separate keyboard.
And let me back up a little: sitting on the couch is not going to make it easy for you to have normal spinal curves AND have your screen where it should be.
Solution
Dig out any keyboards, swap with a neighbor, find whatever you can so that your child can use a separate keyboard.
Ideally, sit at a desk with a firm chair (putting your laptop or iPad on the floor doesn’t work well).
If you can, find a desktop computer or use a laptop with a separate keyboard. Your child’s spine will thank you for it and they won’t hate “Zoom School” so much.
(Need an illustration of this here)
2. Static Postures
I am a physical therapist and also a Nationally Certified Pilates teacher. Joseph Pilates studied how animals moved when he was formulating his method of exercise for health. You never see an animal stay in the same position for even a few minutes, let alone an hour unless they are resting or sleeping. We are no different. We are made to move and movement is life. Staying put, even with perfect ergonomics, for more than 20 minutes at a time is not healthy. Re-watch “Wally” the Pixar movie. Sadly, it is far too close to reality. Kids and adults that don’t move lose bone density, muscle mass, cardiovascular health, and gain excess body fat.
Solutions:
GET UP!! Move around, put on some music, and dance.
Set an alarm for movement breaks.
Put your 36” foam roller where your kid can use it (see upcoming blog on roller basics).
Try some websites with yoga or Pilates for kids (Pilates Anytime.com for example).
Take a walk! Can you walk to the store, and then offer a treat for doing so (positive reinforcement)?
Let the kids walk the dog, the neighbor’s dog, heck, get a dog, and have the kids do the walking.
3. Lack of Physical Activity
Do you monitor screen time for non-school activities? How about monitoring activity time?
Solutions:
Give rewards for minutes of activity. For example, make it a family affair with a race to a benchmark (first to 100 minutes gets to choose the takeout!).
Try a new sport (backyard free-form Bocce? Frisbee Golf?)
Make a socially distanced playdate for the re-opened playground or trail.
Push the water consumption, then they have to get up from the computer and go to the bathroom!
4. Childhood Stress
Usually, when we hear about "stress" we think of the stress adults experience. While children may not understand what the word "stress" means, they still experience it. And children usually have not yet developed skills for managing their stress. Even small changes in their life can be stressful. Imagine what stress they may experience in these current times but they just don't know how to express or manage it! Therefore, parents play a very important role in managing their children's stress.
Solutions:
As covered above, create more physical activity.
Make sure they get enough sleep – sleep is especially important in managing stress.
Check out a meditation for kids' books from the library and perhaps meditate with your family.
Do something for pleasure every day, for example, a good book, a movie night with popcorn, or hiking a new trail.
Go outside and be in nature! The Japanese call it “forest bathing” – so good for the soul!
Try to have at least one family meal a day. Studies show that there are many benefits for families that eat together. For example, they have better family relationships, healthier food choices, better grades, increased emotional strength, are happier and less stressed, have better portion control and healthier ingredients, have less tension and strain from work (or school), and save money. WOW! All that, just by eating a meal together!
Conclusion
I raised two very energetic boys and cannot imagine having them at home for school with NO team sports. When I think of what parents are struggling with today my heart goes out to them. So I hope the above helps you manage these trying times. Helping your child feel better in their body and have less stress might help create a more happy, peaceful home!