Taking care of your child is the number one priority for all parents. But nowadays, children face a unique threat to their livelihood: adolescent spinal disorders.
With the amount of time our children spend sitting down at school, there's a chance that your child could develop a spinal disorder that could have a major impact on their daily lives. But while there's a definite risk of developing spinal disorders as a child, there are a few things parents can do to prevent that from happening.
Below, we'll discuss the dangers of adolescent spinal disorders, the impact it could have on daily life, and some of the things parents can do to reduce the chances of children developing them.
So, read on to learn more.
Understanding Adolescent Spinal Disorders
Adolescent spinal disorders pose a significant danger to children and can greatly impact their daily lives. These disorders encompass a wide range of different conditions, from scoliosis all the way to spondylolisthesis.
When left untreated, these conditions can get progressively worse and have a growing effect on a person's life. If a person develops a spinal disorder as a child and it's untreated until they are adults, there isn't much doctors can do to fix the condition.
This is why it's important for parents and adults to understand the dangers and prevalence of adolescent spinal disorders early on. That way, they can put measures and controls in place to prevent it from happening.
Excessive Sitting Can Increase the Chances of Developing a Spinal Disorder
One major thing for parents and adults to consider when it comes to adolescent spinal disorders is that the amount of time they spend sitting down can greatly increase the chances of them developing a spinal disorder. This is because our bodies aren't designed for prolonged sitting, but current lifestyles highly encourage sitting for long periods of time.
When children are in school, a large portion of their day is spent sitting down in the classroom. If they don't practice proper posture or stand up every so often to stretch and move around, this puts a lot of pressure on their spine. And over time, this can lead to them developing a spinal disorder such as scoliosis.
On top of that, sitting down for extended periods of time also means that children don't move around as much. Remember, our bodies are meant to be moving and to stay active, which is why it’s important for parents to promote an active lifestyle early on to reduce the risk of their children developing a spinal disorder.
Spinal Disorders Can Greatly Impact Quality of Life
The reason you need to pay close attention to your child's spinal health is because a spinal disorder can greatly impact their daily life. To start, spinal conditions can limit a child's movement, meaning they won't be able to do as many physical activities. Since an active lifestyle is crucial for a child's development, it's important to reduce the chances of them developing a spinal disorder.
On top of that, spinal conditions can get very painful and uncomfortable. If the condition is untreated and allowed to worsen over time, the person may have a much harder time performing regular daily tasks. In fact, these conditions can cause chronic pain, which is known for causing people to be bedridden for days at a time.
Preventing Adolescent Spinal Disorders
While there are ways to treat spinal conditions, especially if they are caught early on, prevention is always the best approach. So, here are some of the ways you can prevent spinal disorders in children.
Encourage Regular Physical Activity and Proper Posture
To start, you can encourage an active lifestyle and tell your children to practice proper posture. The more active your child, the lesser the chance of them developing an adolescent spinal disorder. This is why sports and regular exercise are great activities for children. But even if they aren't interested in sports, ensuring that they get to run around and play often should be enough to lessen the chances of a spinal disorder.
Getting the Right School Equipment
The equipment your child uses at school or when working at home can greatly impact their posture and spinal health. This is why we highly recommend getting the right children's desk and working chair for your children. It's important to get desks that are the right height for your child so they don’t slouch or overextend their back while working. This is why you may want to consider an adjustable kid's desk that you can raise or lower depending on your child's needs.
Reduce Sitting Time
Another way to improve spinal health and posture is reducing the amount of time your child spends sitting down. We recommend getting an adjustable or standing desk to do this. That way, your child can alternate between sitting and standing, which reduces the pressure on the spine while also promoting productivity!
Conclusion
As parents, your child’s spinal health is crucial, which is why you need to do whatever you can to reduce the chances of them developing an adolescent spinal disorder. There are many ways to do that, and it’s always best to take a multi-faceted approach. We’d recommend that you address their sedentary lifestyle first by swapping out their standard desk with a height adjustable desk.
