:: Taking Care Of Our Kid Bones ::

Taking care of our kids bones.

When we think about our children’s health we
don’t initially think of their bones, however bone
growth is determined in childhood. Awareness
and a healthy lifestyle for your child are
important factors in prevention of osteoporosis
later in life.

Osteoporosis, the disease that causes bones to
become less dense and more prone to fractures, has been called “a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences,” because the bone mass attained in childhood and adolescence is an important determinant of lifelong skeletal health. The health habits your kids form now can make, or literally break, their bones as they age.

It sounds obvious but bones are the framework for your child's growing body. Bone is living tissue that changes constantly, with bits of old bone being removed and replaced by new bone. You can think of bone as a bank account, where (with your help) your kids make “deposits” and “withdrawals” of bone tissue. During childhood and adolescence, much more bone is deposited than withdrawn as the skeleton grows in both size and density.

Muscles get stronger when we use them. The same idea applies to bones: the more work they do, the stronger they get. Any kind of physical exercise is great for your kids, but the best ones for their bones are weight-bearing activities like walking, running, hiking, dancing, tennis, basketball, gymnastics, and soccer. Children who tend to play outside will also have higher vitamin D levels. Swimming and bicycling promote your kids' general health, but are not weight-bearing exercises and will not help build bone density. Organized sports can be fun and build confidence, but they are not the only way to build healthy bones.

The most important thing is for your kids to spend less time sitting and more time on their feet and moving. Alone or with friends, at home or at the park, one of the best gifts you can give your kids is a lifelong love of physical activity.
Proper nutrition and plenty of physical activity now is essential for the development of your children’s bones.

Calcium is found mainly in dairy products, milk, cheese, yoghurt etc. One 8oz glass of milk contains around 290mg of calcium which equates to 29% of a child’s daily requirement. Calcium is also found in sardines, tofu and orange juice.

Reference: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases.

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