Now that school has started, some doctors hope that parents will keep an eye on how much their kids are lugging around.
Some children are have to carry several books all day, not to mention musical instruments or other gear that can weigh them down. Rachel Tudor, an occupational therapist with Riley Hospital For Children at IU Health, says most kids don‘t carry their backpack correctly either.
Tudor says a backpack should not be heavier than 10-percent of your child‘s body weight. She also suggests making sure a backpack has two straps, well padded, and that your child is using both straps.
If your child needs to carry more books than can safely fit in a backpack, Tudor suggests getting them another bag that rolls they can pull along. You can also see if your school provides extra copies of books that kids can keep at home.
