TAMPA, Fla. — If you’ve decided to keep your child home this semester for virtual learning, you may need to step up your shopping list game — because comfort is key!
“They experience strain just like we do,” said Dr. Erin Mitchell, a Chiropractor in Clearwater.
That strain on their neck and back can keep them from concentrating on the work in front of them plus, it hurts.
“We shouldn’t be seeing kids with headaches. All of this stuff are symptoms of something going wrong that needs to be corrected,” she said.
The corrections are pretty simple. Get a chair that fits your child or retrofit a chair for them.
“For children, you want to make sure that the knees are going to be at the edge of the seat. Obviously for me, I don’t need that but if not you can also crop a pillow behind here,” Mitchell said, as she points to space between her back and the chair.
Also, get a footstool to rest their feet on if they can’t touch the ground.
Ankles, knees, and arms should be at a 90-degree angle, and don’t forget the computer.
“You wanna make sure that your screen is right at eye level,” Dr. Mitchell said.
Another headache trigger is the damaging blue light that comes from your laptop or computer screen. You can get glasses that block that.
“It messes with your natural melatonin production which is what regulates your sleeping cycle,” she said.
But most important, Dr. Mitchell says kids need to get up and move every 30 minutes to an hour.
“We’re kind of designed to move. We’re not designed to sit for long periods of time and that’s gonna help with the kid's comfort as well as their concentration,” she said.
Set timer as a reminder and change up the activities.
Pictures of the "do’s and don'ts" were provided by AL-Inclusive Therapy Services and can be found on its website. You can also purchase your own copy of the learning guide — Discount code teach2020 will save you $5.
This story was first reported by Heather Leigh at WFTS.
