Your children’s health is important for many reasons. It lays the foundation for their growth and development. While it includes their physical growth, it is much more than that. Their overall health comprises their mental well-being, cognitive development, and social and emotional growth. That said, improving their health ensures that they develop in these areas. However, research indicates that approximately 73 million American kids’ well-being worsens. Do you wish to enhance your children’s health? Here are some practical strategies you can leverage for the best results.
Don’t ignore their mental health
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According to the CDC, one in six children has behavioral, mental, and developmental disorders. Likewise, 15.1% of adolescents have major depressive episodes, while 8.9% attempt suicide. These statistics reiterate the need to stay on top of your kids’ mental health. Their mental health enables them to learn new skills, develop socially and think properly. Fortunately, giving them your unconditional love and attention can nurture their self-confidence and esteem. While mistakes can’t be avoided, correcting them gently can help them avoid such mistakes in the future. Consequently, encourage them to open up about whatever bothers them, whether schoolwork, social life, etc.
Take them for routine checkups
A routine checkup has many benefits worth considering. It helps you to track your kids’ growth and development. Also, it is easier to detect and address hidden health conditions before it progresses and undermines their overall well-being. Moreover, you can get helpful tips from their pediatricians on maintaining their health. You can also reduce their chances of contracting life-threatening diseases by getting them vaccinated during these visits. Therefore, you want to prioritize regular checkups if you haven’t already.
Your kids’ routine tests will depend on their age. For instance, your pediatrician will likely measure your toddler’s height and weight while giving them the needed immunizations. However, your five-year-old kid may receive a tuberculosis test, eye exam, and hearing screening. Your pre-teen may undergo a blood cholesterol test, hemoglobin blood test, and scoliosis exam. Your kids’ dental health is also important, so ensure that they visit their dentist regularly. Dental implants will prove helpful if they have missing permanent teeth, so keep this in mind.
Encourage them to exercise
Regular physical activity strengthens the heart muscles and reduces your child’s risk of developing heart diseases. Likewise, it reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol in their blood and enhances the flexibility of their blood vessel walls. This, in turn, lowers their blood pressure. Moreover, regular exercise strengthens their bones and increases their lung capacity. Unfortunately, there are approximately 13.7 million obese children and adolescents in the US. However, physical activity can help your kids burn calories and maintain weight.
It’s important to choose age-appropriate activities to prevent injuries. For example, swimming or soccer is appropriate for your 7-year-old kids, so keep this in mind. Exercising doesn’t have to be boring, so you can make each workout session exciting. For instance, getting them to dance to their favorite song can constitute a great cardio workout. Irrespective of how much you motivate them to work out, it may not be effective if you’re not walking the talk. That said, be a positive model by exercising regularly.
