★ Visual review, moderate screen use, and correct posture are essential to starting a new course correctly

Dr. María José Agustí, a pediatrician at the Hospital de Visa de Lleida, highlighted the problems associated with excessive use of electronic devices, such as sleep disorders, delayed speech development, and visual consequences such as myopia and dry eyes.

The new school year is already taking shape, so different experts from Catalonia’s Vithas Hospital and Comunitat Valenciana offer parents a set of important guidelines to help make it a success.

In this sense, experts review the main issues that must be taken into account to prevent children from experiencing difficulties throughout their studies.

Screen consumption: less is more

Dr. María José Agustí, a pediatrician at the Hospital in Lleida, Visayas, emphasizes the impact of using electronic devices at the beginning of the school year. Excessive use of these devices can cause a variety of problems, including sleep disorders, delayed speech development, and visual problems such as myopia and dry eyes.

“Building a common understanding between educators, families and authorities on children’s use of electronic devices is crucial,” Dr Agusti said, stressing the importance of a collaborative approach to addressing the issue. “We all have a responsibility to keep children safe, use electronic devices responsibly, set limits and encourage healthy use.”

Coping with stress and anxiety when returning to school

Dr. Alejandra García, a pediatrician at the Visas Garraf Medical Center, emphasized that many children and adolescents may experience stress and anxiety at the beginning of the new school year as they face academic and social challenges new challenges, so it’s important to properly manage stress and anxiety. According to Dr. Garcia, parents must pay attention to possible signs of stress or anxiety in their children, such as behavioral changes, sadness, loss of energy, irritability, sleep problems, or non-specific physical complaints such as headaches or headaches. ABS.

Finally, Dr. Garcia recommends that parents maintain a structured daily routine that includes study time, rest, and recreational activities, and gradually resume daily routines after the holidays. Likewise, it advises parents to encourage their children’s autonomy and allow them to make age-appropriate decisions and responsibilities.

Backpack selection and posture habits

First, before heading to class, it’s worth talking about the importance of a backpack. The right choice is crucial to avoid conditions such as contractures, postural changes, and even scoliosis, as weight overload can lead to pain and back and shoulder problems. According to the regulations of the Pediatric Association and the Spanish Association of Children’s Products, the weight of the backpack should not exceed 10% of the child’s body weight.

As Dr. Jose Nebot, a traumatologist at Vithas Castellón, Vithas Valencia 9 de Octubre and Vithas Valencia Consuelo Hospital, explains, “Very heavy school bags can put undue stress on children’s backs and shoulders, leading to overexertion and Muscle fatigue. Additionally, being overweight causes them to develop incorrect posture habits from an early age.”

According to experts, “The ideal situation is that the backpack contains only what the child needs every day. It is lightweight, does not exceed 10% of the child’s weight, and can be adjusted to the child’s size. The backpack itself does not cause any harm, the problem is when When it is too heavy. In addition, it must be hung on the shoulders with two handles, in the back area, reaching the waist area, but it must not be hung below these parts of the spine, that is, the lower part is not lower than the waist, and the upper part is not lower than the waist and neck. on. On the other hand, I recommend the backpack’s lumbar support to be padded.”

Another factor to consider is teaching your child to lift the bag in the proper way when carrying it, “i.e. bend your knees and use your legs when placing the bag.” Nebot.

Eye examination

On the other hand, the Department of Ophthalmology of the Vithas Valencia Consuelo Hospital recalls that from the age of five, children are recommended to undergo eye examinations “to detect possible changes that may affect their development”, so this is a good time. The school year begins.

Furthermore, they note that it is recommended to restore “customs and good habits lost during the summer, such as the neglect of the use of glasses due to the many water activities performed at beaches and swimming pools”.

Study Strategies: Avoiding Academic Failure

From the beginning of the course, “Learning strategies that promote self-directed learning processes are critical to students’ academic success, thereby reducing the fear of academic failure. Therefore, it is critical to provide children with the tools and strategies to cope with the demands of the new school year,” They from the Department of Psychology at Vithas Medimar Hospital explain.

Many students have difficulty organizing their studies, remembering and fixating content, paying attention and concentrating. Generally, they have problems planning, planning and carrying out school activities. “Of course, this creates negative and frustrating feelings, which lead to abandonment of assignments and academic failure,” explains Mª Carmen Soliveres, a psychologist at the department.

“To ensure that children can progress actively and effectively in their learning process, they must learn different self-planning, motivation and self-evaluation strategies,” he concluded.

Infectious diseases and handwashing habits

On the other hand, children “are at greater risk of contracting infectious diseases due to their immature immunity and poor hygiene practices (not washing hands, sharing toys or dirty things, and not covering coughs).

Doctors note that the children most susceptible to infection “are the youngest” and that, in general, infections are banal, affecting mainly the respiratory system (colds, bronchitis) and the gastrointestinal system (diarrhoea).

Therefore, to avoid infection, Dr. Cortez recommends “teaching children the habit of handwashing, especially before and after touching food or using the bathroom; and covering their mouths and forearms when coughing.”

fountain: Visas