Children face hundreds of challenges on their way to adulthoodvarious dangers and difficulties. Including very often there is a violation of posture. Not always parents attach sufficient importance to this, mistakenly believing that the problem will disappear on its own, as the child grows up. And in vain - often incorrect posture has the most negative effect on the health of the child. And it will not disappear on its own. Therefore, in no case should you ignore this problem. This is what will be discussed in this article - violation of posture and prevention. Do all parents know in principle what posture is? Doctors call this term the habitual position of the human body in an upright position. Posture is a very important indicator of general health. Moreover, severe posture disorders are independent diseases that require immediate, long-term and serious treatment. One of the most common posture disorders is scoliosis (curvature of the spine in any direction). Unfortunately, medical statistics are very disappointing - scoliosis occurs in 10% of primary school students, 30% of middle school students and 79% (!) of high school students. You must admit, the numbers are frightening. There are many, many reasons for the occurrence of such a disease. In some cases, scoliosis is a direct consequence of bone diseases, injuries. Also, sometimes - although quite rarely - scoliosis is a congenital disease. However, all these reasons occur in no more than one third of all cases. Most often, scoliosis is an acquired disease and its cause is weak back muscles. Very often, parents, without even suspecting it, contribute to the fact that the child's normal posture is disrupted. They simply create an environment that is very favorable for the development of the disease.
Causes of Posture Disorders
The first thing parents should do ispay attention to the child's entire lifestyle. Don't overlook even the most minor nuances - posture problems can occur quickly. And we'll tell you what you should pay maximum attention to:
- Child's workplace
It is very important that the child's workplace isequipped correctly. The first thing is the desk. Ideally, it should correspond to the child's height. If you do not have the opportunity to change the furniture every year, then at least put a cushion on the chair. Next - the chair. The child should not sit with his legs dangling - they should rest on the floor. Of course, it is not always possible to make sure that the desk at school corresponds to the child's height. But at least at home he should sit correctly - this will remove a significant part of the unnecessary load on the child's back muscles. After all, the child's muscular corset is not yet well developed.
- Wearing heavy weights
A strong provoking factor is alsoCarrying heavy things by a child, especially in one hand. As a rule, all children are forced to carry a heavy school bag every day. It would seem that nothing can be done about this. But in fact, it is possible - buy your child a good orthopedic backpack. Teach your child to carry it on his back - this will distribute the weight evenly. In addition, you can try to make it so that the child can leave some of the teaching aids at school. Suggest to other parents to buy lockers for the classroom, where the kids can put some of their things. As a rule, the school administration does not prevent this, especially if you can provide reasonable arguments.
- Incorrectly selected clothing
You might be surprised now, but evenIncorrectly chosen clothing - too tight or tight - can provoke the development of scoliosis in a child. If the child's pants or skirt cause discomfort, he will try to take the most comfortable position for himself. But it is not always the right one.
- Hearing and vision impairment
If you notice that your child has become abnormalsit at a desk, show him to an otolaryngologist and an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. If the child's vision has become poor, he is simply forced to bend over a textbook or notebook. And if the hearing aid is damaged, the child most often leans forward and slightly turns sideways to better hear the teacher. And very quickly this body position becomes a habit for the child - without noticing it, he sits at home in exactly the same way.
- Chronic diseases of internal organs
In some cases, a child has poor postureoccurs due to the presence of severe chronic diseases of internal organs. Most often, in such cases, we are talking about diseases of the cardiovascular system, bronchi and lungs, defects of the musculoskeletal system. And scoliosis will progress along with the progression of the underlying disease, so this possibility cannot be excluded under any circumstances.
Stages of deformation of posture
A properly developed spinal column will nevercan be absolutely straight - it has several physiological curves that are noticeable in the lateral plane. Doctors distinguish cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral curves. These curves perform the same function as intervertebral discs - they are a kind of elastic shock absorbers that reduce the load on the spine and distribute it evenly. There are several types of posture deformation.
- Stooping. With this type of deformation, the thoracic bending of the spine increases, and the lumbar spine, on the contrary, is smoothed out.
- "Round back." At the same time, the lumbar curve remains normal, but the chest bend increases in the entire thoracic region.
- "The concave back". In this case, bending is strengthened in the lumbar region.
Depending on how advanced the disease is, it is assigned a degree of deformation. These degrees are determined by the following parameters:
Of course, at home, parents do notIt is very difficult for those who have medical education to determine exactly what stage of posture disorder they are faced with. Therefore, it is enough for them to simply understand whether the child has such problems. And it never hurts to check your own posture. And it is not so difficult to do this with the help of special tests. Put your child with his back to the wall and look at him from the side. If everything is in order with the posture, in the neck and waist area the spine will resemble a concave arc, and in the chest and pelvis area - a convex one, touching the wall. There should be a small gap between the spine in the waist and neck area - approximately the thickness of the gap. In all other cases, you can suspect posture disorders. This means that it is time to see a doctor who can more accurately diagnose the problem. In no case should you postpone a visit to the doctor for later. Of course, posture disorders are not appendicitis, and there is no need to call an ambulance. But you should not delay either - otherwise the disease will progress quite quickly. And time is very, very valuable – after all, it is only possible to radically correct a postural disorder in childhood.
Treatment of posture disorders
Parents should be prepared for the fact thatthe process of treating posture disorders will last for a very long time. And it will require a lot of effort and time from parents - after all, it lasts almost around the clock, without any breaks or days off. Treatment is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor - an orthopedist. Depending on the age of the child and his general health, the doctor will select the optimal course of treatment and rehabilitation. To treat posture disorders, therapeutic exercises, wearing special corrective corsets, manual therapy can be used. Although, of course, most of the treatment consists of therapeutic exercises and compliance with a certain number of requirements. The main goal of gymnastics is to strengthen those muscles that are designed to keep the spine in a normal state - the muscles of the neck, shoulders, abdomen and lower back. In no case should you independently create a gymnastic complex - many exercises for scoliosis are strictly prohibited, as they can lead to the opposite effect and only increase the curvature of the spinal column. The doctor will select the most optimal exercises that will help each specific child. He will explain and show parents how to do them. And the main task of parents is to ensure that the child does these exercises correctly and regularly. Such therapeutic exercises can last for a very, very long time - up to a year. But the result will be worth it - the child's posture will not only be corrected, but also the general health will improve. I would like to separately mention the corset, designed to correct posture. Often, the child flatly refuses to wear it. And parents, unfortunately, follow his lead. But this should never be done - the doctor prescribes wearing a corset only in truly necessary situations. Talk to the child. And do not simply force him - be sure to explain why this is necessary, and what will happen otherwise. Although, of course, this measure is effective only in relation to a sufficiently adult child who is able to understand you correctly. If we are talking about a baby, turn it all into a game. And in the most extreme case, you can resort to the power of the parental "Must!"
A few rules for correct posture
We have already talked about some rules above,that allow you to maintain the correct posture of the child. However, there are several more rules that are very likely to help maintain the baby's posture. Be sure to take them into service.
- Baby bed
Of course, any mother tries to make sure that her childslept as comfortably as possible. However, is the concept of "comfortable" always equivalent to the concept of "correctly"? Doctors constantly say that a child's bed should be extremely hard. You should not put extra blankets under the child, and especially not a feather bed. You do not want to raise a princess and a pea, but a healthy child, don't you? An orthopedic mattress would be the ideal option for a child. And it is also better to buy an orthopedic pillow - large and soft pillows also have a very negative effect on the health of the child. And you should also monitor how exactly the child sleeps. Orthopedic doctors recommend that children, as well as adults, sleep exclusively on their back or stomach. Sleeping on the side is also harmful to the spine.
- Child's shoes
Pay special attention to your child's shoes.In no case should you buy shoes for your child that are not the right size - "to grow into" or tight. Shoes must be bought exclusively comfortable and in the right size. And this requirement is explained very simply - unsuitable shoes lead to the wrong position of the child's feet. And this, in turn, inevitably entails a change in the normal position of the spine. And there is a very high probability that this change will very quickly lead to a curvature of the spine. By the way, if your child already has clubfoot or flat feet, start treating it as soon as possible. These diseases very quickly lead to poor posture, and sometimes even more serious problems. Moreover, these diseases also need to be treated under the strict supervision of an orthopedic doctor. The child's body is very fragile, and the slightest incorrect actions of parents can lead to not very pleasant consequences.
- Proper organization of the child's day regimen
A lot also depends on proper organization.daily routine of the child. Unfortunately, parents often have to spend most of their time at work. And children are left to their own devices. And they sit for hours near computers and TVs, which has a very negative effect not only on the child's eyesight, but also on his posture. Therefore, try to limit the time the child spends in front of the TV and computer. If you want to do this, it is quite possible - just load the child with something as much as possible - for example, clubs or hobbies. After all, there are family filters, right?
- Sufficient physical activity
It is also worth remembering thatvery often posture problems develop because the child moves little. And this is not surprising - computers have long replaced "tag" and "catch-up" for modern children, and TV - walks out of town and hikes. But instead of sadly shaking their heads, parents should take the situation into their own hands. Do not be lazy and start a tradition of going out of town every weekend, if, of course, the weather allows. Visit the gym or swimming pool with your child - a personal example for a child is most useful. And, in addition, such joint pastime with your child will have a very positive effect on your relationship. But even if you have no time at all, you can find a way out. Send your child to some kind of sports section. And it does not necessarily have to be professional sports. For example, dancing can be a very good option. Physical activity will be the most optimal, and the child's posture will always be under the strict supervision of a teacher. And the ability to dance will be useful for both boys and girls. And make sure that your child attends regular physical education classes at school. You should not take a doctor's note exempting him from physical education classes at school, even if the child really gets sick often. There are several health groups and the teacher will select the most suitable load for your child. Of course, in this case we are not talking about really serious diseases, for which physical education classes are strictly contraindicated. And ask the physical education teacher to take this issue under his control, because it is extremely difficult for parents to monitor their child at school. Strictly speaking, all these rules must be followed by those parents whose children have not yet encountered posture problems. After all, all these rules are effective not only for the treatment of spinal curvature, but also for prevention. Prevention of posture problems in children is very successful if you start it in a timely manner. We recommend reading:
