As it’s back to school time we wanted to shed some light on the awesome work Occupational Therapists do to help children succeed in the school system. From helping with IEP’s, to modifying the classroom environment, an Occupational Therapist can help to enhance the learning experience based on the individual needs of the child they are working with. Learn more about how OT’s help kids in schools in the following care of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists.
Back to school is just a few weeks away. Check out our helpful infographic aimed at giving parents, teachers, and even kids some proactive strategies they can use to manage this transition as smoothly, productively, and as positively as possible.
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
Backpacks are a staple for every student. They travel back and forth between home and school, lugging books and school supplies. They are put through the unavoidable daily abuse of being thrown on the ground, trampled on, stuffed into a cubby or locker, saving a spot in line, and become over-stretched and over-used with the necessities of school. They are a necessary part of your child’s education, yet how much thought do you really put into the backpack your child wears aside from maybe price or color? Have you considered the health implications of an improperly worn, fitted, or poorly supportive backpack?
Backpacks are meant to be worn over both shoulders so that the weight can be evenly distributed across some of the largest and strongest muscles in the body. Due to this, backpacks are preferable to shoulder bags, however they must be worn properly in order to avoid postural issues and injuries to the back, shoulder, and/or neck. Additionally, backpacks that are too heavy or large increase a child’s risk of injury due to falling or tripping. The following are some simple tips to help ensure your child’s backpack is fitted properly in order to avoid any negative health implications.
First of all, when choosing a backpack look for the following features:
1. Make sure the backpack is made of a lightweight material. Sure, some trendy materials may look cool, but these can also add unnecessary weight.
2. The backpack should have two wide, padded shoulder straps that are adjustable. Thin, narrow straps can cut off circulation resulting in pain, tingling, and numbness. Straps with a clip to secure them across the chest are best.
3. Look for a padded back to increase comfort and also to protect your child from being poked by items inside the bag.
4. Backpacks with a waist strap help distribute the weight more evenly and can protect the neck and shoulders from carrying the weight independently.
5. Check out backpacks that have a roller option if allowed in your child’s school. This allows freedom to switch between wearing on the back (for example on snowy days when rolling is not practical) and rolling the bag on the ground to take stress off of the neck and shoulders.
6. Ensure the backpack has multiple compartments as this helps to distribute the weight more evenly, and keeps things organized and separated.
Once you have found the perfect backpack, ensure the backpack is worn properly by following some of these general guidelines:
· The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that backpack load should never exceed 10-20% of your child’s body weight. Make sure unnecessary items aren’t traveling back and forth – leave heavy items at home or school if possible.
· When putting on a backpack, ensure your child bends at the knees (not the waist!) and uses both hands to lift it onto their shoulders. Watch for signs of strain or difficulty when putting it on – if any are present consider reducing the load in the bag by having your child carry a few items.
· ALWAYS use both of the shoulder straps. No matter how “cool” your child thinks using one shoulder strap looks, it can cause muscle, spine and orthopedic injury down the road.
· Tighten the shoulder straps and use the strap around the waist (if available). This helps to ensure even weight distribution. The bag should sit in the center of the back, about two inches above the waist (not down near the buttocks!).
· When packing, ensure heavy items are near the center / back of the bag. Use all of the available compartments to help distribute the weight more evenly.
· Talk to your child about making frequent trips to their locker, desk or cubby to avoid carrying extra weight around all day.
· Consider the backpack as a possible culprit if your child starts complaining of back pain, numbness or tingling in the shoulders or arms, or discomfort in the upper body or lower back. If so, consult with a professional about how to correct the issues, and prevent these from getting worse. Core, back, or strengthening exercises might be needed if your child is having difficultly lugging around their school stuff – and consult a professional to have any exercises prescribed.
Then, make it fun! Give your child a list of things to look for when picking out their backpack, and comment on the different features of the ones at the store. Once purchased, load this up with different things so you can show them the difference when weight is distributed evenly, unevenly and gets too heavy. Have them try the straps at different lengths so they can comment on what is most comfortable. Encourage them to leave things at school that should stay there (like indoor shoes) and consider having a double set of school supplies at home so these don’t need to travel back and forth. Make Friday “clean out your backpack day” for a special treat.
Remember that you get what you pay for. A $10.00 backpack chosen on style or color may cost you a lot more in the long run. Backpacks are not an item you should cheap out on!
For more informative articles on kids health check out our OT For Kids page and check out our OT-V Episode, Backpack Safety to learn more.
References:
1) American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (2013).
2) KidsHealth (2013)
3) American Academy of Pediatrics (2014)
Energy is like a currency, we only have so much of it and need to spend it wisely throughout our day. Conserving energy during small tasks throughout the day helps to save needed energy for important, meaningful daily activities.
Physical, psychological, and emotional difficulties can make everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, or working seem nearly impossible due to the level of energy required to perform them.
If energy is a precious resource to you or someone you care about, the tips included in the following OT-V Episode, Conserving Energy Everyday, will help you conserve as much energy as possible throughout your day.
You can also try our printable energy conservation planner to help you plan your daily, weekly or monthly activities for optimal conservation of energy.
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) Blog recently posted this very interesting and informative article on the legalization of marijuana and how this may specifically impact the drivers of Ontario. The proposed reforms to Impaired Driving Laws, as listed in the article, include:
For the first time, the Government of Canada has proposed prescribing limits to the amount of THC – an inebriating component of cannabis – detected in a person operating a motor vehicle. The Government is also proposing prohibiting any detectable levels of many other drugs while operating a motor vehicle.
The proposed changes include attempts to close loopholes in our current laws and providing for easier roadside testing by authorities, including:
People operating motor vehicles will be committing a criminal offence if they are found to have THC levels in their blood above 2ng/ml. Drivers with levels above 5mg/ml or levels above 2.5ng/ml combined with blood alcohol levels over 50mg/100ml will face more significant penalties.
The penalties are also generally going up, especially in the case of repeat offenders who may now be sentenced up to 10 years (up from the current five), and will now be eligible to be deemed “dangerous offenders” in appropriate circumstances.
So why is this so significant? As an Occupational Therapist it is common for many of my clients to require the use of medication to manage their symptoms. While most (or all) would love to be able to go without regular use of these drugs, it is typical for medications to be prescribed to help people manage initial and acute symptoms for things like sleep, depression, anxiety, pain, headaches, and spasms. Often, that usage continues beyond the acute phase of recovery to help with the management of more chronic and relentless problems that don’t resolve in time. It is no secret then that people with disabilities tend to be high consumers of medication.
More recently, as the benefits of medical marijuana become studied and well known, my clients are choosing to forgo the gut-wrenching and highly addictive narcotics for the milder but often effective marijuana option. My clients that use medical marijuana report better sleep and more stability in their symptoms without the intense side-effects they experienced on other drugs.
So my clients tend to use medication, some are switching to marijuana, but most concerning with this legislation change is that most of my clients are also drivers. Very few actually don’t resume driving and in fact returning to driving is often one of their main objectives. Driving provides freedom and convenience, and people who end up stranded at home tend to decompensate emotionally due to the isolation that comes from not being able to enter the community often and independently. Sure, many places offer public transit options, but try having pain, reduced tolerances for activity, standing or sitting restrictions and then be expected to walk to, wait for, and then sit on a bus that has jerky starts and stops every few blocks. Public transit is just not a great option for people that don’t tend to feel well.
I am all for the safety of Ontario drivers and I can appreciate how the laws in Ontario need to evolve with the introduction of new policies that can impact driving. However, I am concerned that these changes unfairly target an already marginalized portion of our population without providing suitable alternatives to allow people to get around their community. How will my clients who currently drive while medicated be able to continue to get around?
Further, there is also a potential change to the mandatory reporting requirements for professionals around driving. Currently, only doctors are required by law to report potentially unsafe drivers to the Ministry of Transportation. There is talk that Occupational Therapists will also have this responsibility soon. So, if I know that my client is taking narcotic medication and also drives to work daily, will I be required to report this? If that is the case, then what about the doctor that prescribes the medication in the first place? Is he going to give people the option of: drugs or driving?
Personally, I think the bigger problem on the roads is non-prescription related. Drinking and texting seem to be causing more injuries and deaths than the use of properly prescribed and consumed medications. I hope the lawmakers of Ontario are considering all the risks on the roads and working to develop solutions fair to all of us.
As Canadians, we are well-known for making the most of our short summer months! We often fill them with day trips, weekends away, and vacations with family or friends. However, this summer fun can also bring on “summer stress” with all of the errand running, planning, organization and co-ordination that’s required to make that summer fun possible. Everyone sees and defines “stress” differently, but whether you recognize these additional demands as being “stressful” or not, they certainly weigh on our minds and add to the mental list of things we need to accomplish and manage in our days.
So what can Occupational Therapy do to help? Stress management is one area where Occupational Therapists can make suggestions that are helpful. These suggestions can help you to get the most fun from your summer, while preventing and managing the inevitable summer stress. Below you will find some general examples of the kinds of Occupational Therapy strategies that can help you limit and manage your summer stressors.
Are you travelling this summer? Be prepared with our guide to travelling with a disability.
Travelling with a disability can be difficult, but with thorough planning it can be a wonderful experience. Our free E-Book on Accessible Travel is full of helpful information, tips and checklists to help you plan, pack and prepare for a fantastic getaway.
Solutions for Living: Accessible Travel E-Book
Also check out our OT-V episode: Travelling with a Disability for more tips for planning a memorable vacation.
It’s that time again… The report cards are done, the bell has rung, and summer vacation is upon us! Summer is a time for camps, vacations, trips, cottaging and so much more. But with all the fun in store, where do they fit in time to learn? How do we as parents make sure our kids don’t suffer summer “brain drain,” while still ensuring they get the break and vacation they need? Check out the following infographic for ideas to keep kids brains sharp while having fun this summer vacation!
In celebration of summer, I wanted to share an infographic on pool safety. These helpful tips and tools are good things to review and consider, ensuring you, your friends and loved ones are safe and enjoy some fun in the sun this summer!
Today we celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday. The Canada Project care of Maclean’s delves deeper into what it means to be Canadian.
We want to hear from you. Tell us why you’re proud to be a Canadian?