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It's Never too Early to Prioritize Health

May 11, 2023

It's Never too Early to Prioritize Health

In this month's podcast episode "It's Never too Early to Prioritize Health", we are fortunate enough to be joined by Dr. Chukwuemeka Obidi, a pediatrician at Meritus Health in Hagerstown, MD who is an amazing advocate in our community for helping families get serious about making healthy choices by walking alongside them through the journey and supporting them through the highs and the lows of lifestyle changes. He recognizes that changing diet and exercise habits sometimes requires big lifestyle changes and this can be overwhelming for families. However, he also explains a few of the reasons it is so important to address obesity as soon as possible such as: increased risk of future bone and joint problems, higher rates of heart disease and diabetes, closely linked to mental health concerns, poor self image and bullying. Dr. Obidi helped us dive deeper into some of the psychosocial aspects associated with obesity and provided us with some great resources to help facilitate the transition to a healthier lifestyle in a manageable and sustainable way.


Getting healthy: what does that really mean?


Everyone in our society has heard the term "getting healthy" but what does that really mean? What does that look like? And why isn't it as easy as it sounds? This blog post is going to highlight some of the barriers that exist to living a healthy lifestyle, some of the risk factors associated with childhood obesity, and some key takeaways/resources to empower families to start making healthier lifestyle choices.


What are some of the barriers that families face in the quest to getting healthy?


  1. Culture/family structure that is centered around enjoying meals together can lead to a lot of pressure from family members to make unhealthy food choices
  2. Marketing and advertisements constantly encouraging children and families to consume high calorie, high fat, low nutrition food
  3. Parents are exhausted and overwhelmed by their busy lifestyles that often requires juggling working, getting kids to/from school, extracurriculars, etc
  4. Parents aren't sure which sources they can trust as recommendations for healthy choices change frequently
  5. Healthier food may cost more than unhealthy options 
  6. To truly address childhood obesity, the whole family needs to commit to the process of changing their physical activity and diet habits and this can be really overwhelming to families
  7. Having conversations around lifestyle changs and obesity can be very uncomfortable and it can be hard to truly recognize and address the issue head on


What are some of the risk factors for obesity?


  1. Mental health concerns/high stress levels can lead to using food as a coping strategy
  2. Decreased physical activity
  3. Poor sleep hygiene
  4. Genetic predisposition


What are some Statistics?


Childhood obesity is a worldwide pandemic with a staggering 14.7 million children and adolescents in the US being classified as "obese" (having a BMI in the 95th percentile for their age group). These rates are highest among adolescents, but as many as 12.7% of children ages 2-5 are impacted by obesity. In a society plagued by unhealthy food choices, encouragement of sedentary lifestyles between school, increased screen time, desk jobs, etc. and the high levels of stress and poor sleep hygiene, it's no wonder many Americans feel overwhelmed with trying to live a healthy lifestyle.


What are some things I can start doing today to improve my health?


  1. Address the underlying problem. If you are using food as a coping strategy to manage your mental health, reach out to a therapist to find healthier strategies to support your physical and mental health. 
  2. Find a healthcare professional (nutritionist/dietician/PCP) or fitness professional (physical therapist/personal trainer/fitness coach, etc.) to walk alongside you during your journey and help you develop and stick to your exercise regimen. Remember that living a healthy lifestyle is a marathon not a sprint, and it is okay to have bumps along the road. What matters at the end of the day is that you surround yourself with people who will support you and encourage you when you are doing great and help inspire and lift you up when you need a little extra motivation.
  3. Talk to your family members and try to get everyone involved with the decision to get healthy. Family involvement has been found to be closely associated with successful changes in diet and exercise habits and total weight loss. 
  4. Be intentional with your plans for physical activity. Set a clear goal and make a concentrated effort to meet it. Easy ways to do this include: Find ways to integrate it into your daily routines (examples: going for a 15 minute walk during your lunch break, playing outside for an hour after school before starting homework, walking the dog around the neighborhood instead of letting him/her out in the backyard, etc.). Find things that the family and the child enjoy and use those as motivators to make exercise fun. 
  5. Decrease screen time as it encourages sedentary behavior, or make it a motivator/reward that can be earned by making healthy choices. (example, first I will do a 30 minute workout, then I can watch one TV show).


What other resources can I look into?

  1. Healthychildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics)
  2. Healthykidshealthyfuture.org
  3. WIC program, Washington County: 240-313-3335, Frederick County: 301-600-2507
  4. Doctoryum.org


If you have any questions regarding childhood obesity or think you are ready to live a healthier lifestyle, contact your local health care provider to develop your support system and discuss strategies that may be the most effective for you and your family!


Disclaimer: ***Before drastically changing your diet or exercise habits or starting a new fitness or diet regimen, please consult with your physician. The advice stated above are generalizations based on data trends and are not meant to be used as specific health care recommendations.


Sources:

Childhood Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC

Dabas A, Seth A. Prevention and Management of Childhood Obesity. Indian J Pediatr. 2018 Jul;85(7):546-553. doi: 10.1007/s12098-018-2636-x. Epub 2018 Feb 19. PMID: 29457204.

link to above citation: Prevention and Management of Childhood Obesity - PubMed (nih.gov)

Gray LA, Hernandez Alava M, Kelly MP, Campbell MJ. Family lifestyle dynamics and childhood obesity: evidence from the millennium cohort study. BMC Public Health. 2018 Apr 16;18(1):500. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5398-5. PMID: 29807535; PMCID: PMC5971431.

link: Family lifestyle dynamics and childhood obesity: evidence from the millennium cohort study - PubMed (nih.gov)

Get Crafty with Christmas Food

November 14, 2024
Get Crafty with Christmas Food Tis the season to enjoy all the wonderment of the holiday! While the kids are off of school, you may be looking for projects for them. We always like to play with our food here at PMC. Check out the following list of easy-to-do activities that involve food and fun!

The Developmental Benefits of Tumbling Classes

November 13, 2024
The Developmental Benefits of Tumbling Classes Here at the Pediatric Movement Center, our recreational classes are fun, social movement opportunities for children of all ages to play in a safe and secure space. But tumbling and gymnastics classes offer so many benefits, both physical and mental, for young children. Whether you are looking at our Ninja classes or Adaptive Gymnastics, you can be assured that our approach to recreation is developmentally beneficial for all individuals. Here are 5 benefits of gymnastics and tumbling classes: Physical Fitness Physical benefits of tumbling and gymnastics include flexibility, core strength, cardiovascular health and stamina, join health, and disease prevention. Jumping, balance, leg lifts and triple flexion (ankle, knee and hip) are just a few movements that are beneficial. Tumbling and gymnastics also includes a variety of poses that are helpful for strength and flexibility, such as lunges , bicycle, butterfly stretch, and forward rolls. 2. Cognitive Development Tumbling and gymnastics can improve focus, decision making and problem solving, as well as self-discipline and mental toughness. Gymnastic routines often are similar to memorizing dance sequences, where the individual has to memorize a series of movements in a certain order and on a particular timeline. Coordination of different poses that require full body strength (such as cartwheels or forward rolls) also require particular focus and mind-body connection. 3. Social Skills One of the best things about childrens' movement classes is the social aspect. Our recreational classes are a space for children to have fun and play with other kids. Our classes are inclusive, allowing children of different sensory and behavioral needs to be part of the group, and enabling children of different physical abilities to engage with other children. Waiting for your turn on the balance beam or celebrating a friends' success when they do a handstand for the first time are just a few social benefits of tumbling classes. 4. Confidence Self-discipline and mental toughness can play an important role in self-confidence. Our play-based classes are led by instructors devoted to supporting students through positive reinforcement. When children are given the space to try new or challenging physical activity, their confidence often increases through their success in trying something that they couldn't accomplish before. 5. Injury Prevention Just like many NFL players engage in ballet or pilates to cross-train during the off-season, so too can student athletes and kids playing multiple sports use tumbling and gymnastics as a great way to benefit other sports activities. Stretching, full body strengthening balance and coordination techniques are just a few benefits of tumbling classes that will also benefit kids engaging in other sports. Interested in learning more about our recreational classes? Check out our current class schedule for more information!

What is Feeding Therapy?

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What is Apraxia?

November 11, 2024
What is Apraxia? Apraxia is a motor speech disorder. Childhood apraxia of speech is a rare, but lifelong disorder that makes it difficult for individuals to move their mouth muscles in order to speak. The important thing to note about Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is that the child knows what they want to say, but may struggle with connecting the brain to the muscles that must accompany speech. Unlike other forms of childhood speech problems, CAS is not a disorder that can be outgrown. Children with CAS must receive treatment in order to make any progress with speech. Signs of CAS in children older than 3 years old include: - not pronouncing words the same way every time - putting the stress on the wrong syllable or word in a sentence or sequence of words - distortions in sounds - ease with shorter words and struggle with longer words Speech therapy for CAS focuses on strengthening the muscle groups required to speak - included facial and oral structures. This part of speech language therapy is referred to as speech motor planning and programming . SLP's will focus on techniques and activities that strengthen the lips, tongue, soft palate, jaw and vocal folds - to help the child learn when to activate and move each at the right time and in the right order, so that words are pronounced and produced accurately. Children with CAS may also struggle with fine motor skills, delayed language, and problems with reading, spelling and writing. If you have questions about CAS and want to learn more about what speech therapy services we can provide at PMC, please reach out today.

Types of Sensory Swings

November 11, 2024
Types of Sensory Swings Did you know that swinging can have a major impact on a child's vestibular system? The vestibular system is a sensory system in the inner ear that helps with balance and spatial orientation. Sensory swings, which come in many forms, are a great way to work on the vestibular system. Balancing the vestibular system can have a multitude of benefits beyond the physical - it can be a great way to practice body awareness and regulate the nervous system. Here is a quick guide to different types of sensory swings that may be utilized in pediatric therapy. 1. Bolster Swing

Why Teach Self-Regulation?

November 7, 2024
Why Teach Self-Regulation? When a toddler throws a tantrum, their reaction is usually developmentally normal for their age. Most little kids are still learning how to navigate big emotions. Most three year olds have not mastered self-regulation; the ability to control one's emotions and respond rationally to stressful or stimulating situations. But learning self-regulation can be complicated. There are many factors that impact our ability to self-regulate. Neurodevelopment, trauma and sensory differences are just a few factors in an individual's ability to self-regulate. Research shows that learning self-regulation can be life-changing for children and young adults, especially individuals who have experienced trauma. Learning emotional regulation can have a powerful impact on a person's wellbeing, So when do we learn how to navigate difficult thoughts and feelings? And how? When it comes to children and adolescents, research demonstrates that sensory-based occupational therapy may be an effective intervention to increase self-regulation. Occupational therapists are training to help individuals increase body awareness , and cope in a healthy way with stressful or demanding situations or circumstances. Children and individuals who struggle with self-regulation may express the following things: - overreactions to situations - emotional outburts - long-term negative emotions - mood swings and unpredictable moods The key to self-regulation is something called Inhibition. Inhibition is the ability to interrupt, adjust, stop or change thoughts or feelings or actions. For example, if you are sitting in traffic and start to grow frustrated, before you start shouting or getting angry about being stuck in that situation, inhibition would allow you to take a deep breath, and remind yourself that you cannot control the traffic, and that even though it is frustrating, you will be home soon. Being able to regulate emotions in this way has been proven to have a positive effect on a person's wellbeing, and can be integral to the health of children and young adults who are still learning how to deal with difficult emotions. A recent study demonstrated that adolescents who were engaging in self-regulatory behavior, reported greater wellbeing than their peers, including increased general life satisfaction and perceived social support. One way that occupational therapy can assist with learning self-regulation is through sensory input. Sensory input can include play-based activities , such as games or blowing bubbles, that help the individual navigate big emotions. Other activities that may be utilized for self-regulation in occupational therapy included music, stretching, guided imagery, colored lights, breathing exercises or large muscle activities. Occupational therapists are able to assess how certain factors may be impacting an individual on a daily basis, and implement interventions that help the person feel more balanced emotionally as they navigate day to day life.
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