This month I have decided to write about children’s health issues. In particular two health issues that have been raised lately by two new studies. The first study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
This study investigated high blood pressure in adolescents. Researchers compared average systolic and diastolic blood pressure among children aged 8-17, and evaluated their body mass index. The researches found that since 1999 blood pressure had gone up 1.4 mg Hg for systolic and 3.3 mg HG for diastolic. This means that overall our children have higher blood pressure at the same age than they did five years ago. Also, the researchers noted a strong correlation between being overweight and having high systolic blood pressure. The study remarked that like many health problems that people feel in their fifties, they often start in childhood. So, rather than have your children suffer heart disease in their fifties, why not start them on regular check-up, diet and exercise to prevent these problems from occurring.
The second study of significance was published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in June. The study looked at sleep patterns and television watching. The first disturbing fact in the study was that 30% of children with an average age of 14, watch 3 hours or more of television per day. The study found that children who watched three or more hours of t.vl per day were at a significantly elevated risk for sleep problems as an early adult and into adulthood. So, this means that by watching too much t.v. as a child, you will decrease your sleep during childhood, but also into early adulthood. The researches concluded by saying, “The American Academy of Pediatrics had recommended that youth not watch more than 1 to 2 hours of television per day.” That sounds like good advice to me. Sit with your children and play board games, read a book together, go outside for a walk. It is very easy to dump the kids in front of the t.v., but you will find after time that you will enjoy spending time with your children and everyone will be happy and healthy.
Don’t let your children fall victim to the same health problems that you have. Get your children checked out early, take care of small problems before they become big problems. Start your children off in a lifetime of good health, exercise, and fitness. Sometimes it is amazing to me that patients will come to office for headaches, yet their child is left at home with headaches as well, not being treated. Overall, be healthy and take care of yourself and your children.
Don’t let your children fall victim to the same health problems that you have. Get your children checked out early, take care of small problems before they become big problems. Start your children off in a lifetime of good health, exercise, and fitness. Sometimes it is amazing to me that patients will come to office for headaches, yet their child is left at home with headaches as well, not being treated. Overall, be healthy and take care of yourself and your children.
“As to disease, make a habit of two things- to help, or at least do no harm.”
-Hippocrates
-Hippocrates
This article is not intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any disease. This article is not intended to substitute for the advice of a doctor.
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