Did you know that one in three kids are overweight or obese? Obesity is an epidemic that is now affecting children as young as 3 years old. September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and it’s never too early to start to teach your kids about how to live a healthy lifestyle. If they learn these things from a young age they will be less likely to become overweight and, therefore, lower their risk of developing type II diabetes, sleep apnea or bone and joint disorders. Today, we’re sharing 6 health habits to teach your children.

Eat the rainbow
An easy way to teach kids about eating a wide variety of healthy foods is to tell them to eat the rainbow. Having a plate that’s full of many different fruits and vegetables in vibrant colors provides a lot of different vitamins and minerals.

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If your child has a vision problem, they will have a very difficult time learning. If they can’t see the board they won’t catch everything the teacher has to say and will miss key information. Today, we will discuss the importance of getting regular eye exams, when should you get your kids eyes examined, and how to find out if you have vision coverage through your insurance.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Your eyes can tell a lot about your overall health. Disorders, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can be detected through a simple eye exam. A regular eye exam can also be important for preventing conditions like cataracts. These conditions are typically more common with age, but it never hurts to start getting eye exams at a young age as it is key for prevention. However, there are other eye conditions that are common in children. A lot of kids often times have a lazy eye, which requires patching in order to prevent future issues. Good vision won’t only be helpful in school, but it will also be helpful on the ball field. Having their eyes checked will increase their hand-eye coordination making sports a little easier.

If your child doesn’t seem to have any problems with their vision, or asymmetry in their eyes, it is probably safe to wait until around age five to get them their first eye exam. This way any vision issues can be fixed before starting kindergarten so they are able to learn. However, if you notice issues with their vision before the age of five schedule an appointment, the earlier you correct something the easier it will be. If your child does have vision problems, it’s important that they get an eye exam annually to make sure their prescription still works for them.

So how do you know if your insurance covers eye exams for children? First and foremost, you must look at your individual plan. You can call your insurance provider and ask if that is a benefit under your plan. Adult vision care typically isn’t covered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), however, pediatric vision care is a required benefit on all ACA plans. This applies for all children covered on the plan who are under the age of 19.

Taking care of your child’s eye health is just as important as their physical and mental help. So when you schedule your child’s well visit before the school year starts make sure you also schedule them their annual eye exam!

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First, start going to bed at a regular time. Lack of sleep can contribute to illness. If your child is used to going to bed late and sleeping in, the first day of school will be a huge adjustment to their internal clock. Messing up their schedule for too many days in a row could wipe out their immune system causing them to get sick and run down.

Second, schedule an appointment for their annual well visit. This is important to go over their general health and see if they have anything going on mentally, physically or emotionally. A child’s well visit is especially important for the kids of reproductive age or those in high school. It gives the doctor a chance to discuss with them the importance of abstinence or how to practice safe sex. It also opens the door for the discussion of drugs and alcohol. Your child may be more willing to open up to their doctor as opposed to you or your spouse.

You may also want to consider getting an eye appointment scheduled for your child. It is important to determine if they have vision problems, or if they need a stronger prescription. If they can’t see the board, they won’t do well in school. I will be digging deeper in to this topic in an upcoming post on Thursday, so be sure to check back on the blog for more details!

Also, when you take your child to the doctor for their well visit make sure you get a sports physical. In order to participate in sports, teens must have a current physical on file.

Third, if your child takes a certain type of medication that they don’t take during the summer get them started back up a few weeks before school starts. A lot of kids who take medications for ADD or ADHD don’t take them during the summer. Start back up on it a few weeks early in order to give them time to readjust to the medication.

Fourth, get your kids in the habit of eating breakfast. If your child doesn’t eat breakfast already it’s time to start. Many nutritionists feel that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And if your child’s blood sugar is low they won’t be able to concentrate in school. They need to fuel their brain for the long day ahead.

Fifth, if your child has a medical condition, inform the school ahead of time. Let their teacher know of any allergies or if they require a specific medication at a time throughout the course of the school day.

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. Getting your child set for the school year will allow you to have fun and finish off your summer on the right note.

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First, limit their computer, television and video game usage. Gaming should be off limits during the school week, and should be limited to one hour a day on the weekends.

Second, encourage them to partake in outdoor activities. Summer time is right around the corner; make them play outside. Help them set up a lemonade stand or get them some chalk so they can decorate the drive way. Being outside is good for their mental and physical health.

Third, do family activities together. Go bowling on a rainy day or go for a family bike ride after dinner. Make exercise fun for the whole family.

Fourth, make sure to sign them up for extracurricular activities. If your city has a public pool sign them up for swimming lessons or get them on a little league team in your neighborhood. Show them that exercise can be fun and can be enjoyed with friends.

When it comes to making sure they’re eating healthy here are a few tips I found to be helpful. First, go to a local farmers market. Living in Metro Detroit I am fortunate to live near Eastern Market. Every Saturday in the spring through the fall local farmers bring in a wide variety of fresh, organic produce. My daughters really enjoyed going to the market and picking out their own fruits and veggies.

Then, have a healthy family cooking night. Letting them help prepare their dinner will make them feel more involved, and they will want to try the foods they’ve put together. Third, set a good example, if you eat well they will too. They will want to try what you’re eating.

Try and start the habit of healthy eating at a young age, and incorporate several vegetables into every meal. But also keep in mind that it’s important not to force them to eat a certain food. Have them try a couple of bites, and if they still don’t like it, let it be. I’ve found that forcing children to eat something they don’t like causes a total aversion to the food and they may be less likely to try new foods in the future. Fourth, don’t keep junk food in the house. If it’s not there they can’t eat it, this will be helpful for you too. Fifth, introduce new foods slowly. And lastly, still allow them to have treats. Balance is important, even with children. If they aren’t allowed to have a cookie every once in a while or a bag of chips they’ll go crazy the next time they’re around junk food they’ll binge. 

It’s important to start healthy eating and exercise habits young. If kids grow up living a healthy lifestyle it will be easy for them to maintain it as they get older. 

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