BACKPACK SAFETY

• Children’s spines need to be well taken care of during their formative years.  This means that they should not be overloaded with heavy backpacks on a daily basis.

• A recent survey of orthopedic doctors reported that over half of them have seen children with back pain associated with overloaded backpacks in the past year.

• A child’s backpack should weigh no more than 15% of his or her body weight.  This means that a child who weighs 80 pounds can safely carry no more than 12 pounds in his or her backpack.

• Pay attention to your child’s complaints about back pain.  If at the end of the week your child is complaining of back pain that seems to go away on the weekend, chances are pretty good that your child is carrying too much weight during the week.

• Backpacks should be worn on both shoulders.  If not, one side of the body will be carrying all of the weight. This leads to serious problems.  Scoliosis, or lateral curvature of the spine, might be caused by carrying heavy loads on only one side rather than distributing weight evenly.

• Heavy loads should be carried close to the back so that your child doesn’t have to lean over to walk.  Both straps should be tightened so that the pack is close against the back.

• Evaluate a backpack for comfort and safety prior to purchase.  Have your child try it on with a few books in it to see how comfortable it will be to carry it every day.  Check to make sure no loose or dangling cords, strings, key chains, or anything else is hanging from your child’s backpack.  These items can become safety hazards.

• Have your child evaluated for scoliosis.  This is a growing problem among our youth, and if caught early enough it can be treated conservatively.