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Most children and teenagers use backpacks to carry the necessities of the school day.

Mary Ann Wilmarth, the assistant dean and director of the transitional doctors of physical therapy degree at Northeastern University in Boston said in a statement that backpacks that are overloaded and/or are worn the wrong way can cause problems for children and teenagers like injury to the muscles and joints leading to severe back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as posture problems.

Backpacks are designed to distribute the weight of the load between some of the body’s strongest muscles like back and the abdominal muscles. To choose the right backpack, here are some guidelines:

Ensure that your child uses both the straps to distribute the weight of backpack. This promotes well-aligned symmetrical posture. Carrying the weight with just one strap means that one side of body has to bear most of the weight.

Avoid excessive twisting and keep the trunk of the body stable especially while putting on and removing backpacks.

Backpacks should be positioned in an uniform manner towards the middle of the back, not extending below the lower back. A waist strap helps in distributing the weight of heavy load evenly.

Shoulder straps should be adjusted to allow your child to put it on and remove the backpack easily. Straps should not be too loose or tight. Your child should be able to move his/her arms freely.

The load in the backpack should be 10-15% less than your child’s weight. Put in only necessary items for the day. Heavy books or items should be positioned closest to the back.

Encourage your child to be active, teach them back strengthening exercises to promote better muscle strength, flexibility that makes carrying a backpack an easy job.

If you have to bend to pick up something from the floor with your backpack on, bend using both the knees.

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Bedwetting is a common problem for many toddlers. Though children are trained for “pee” and “poo-poo” by the age of three - four, bedwetting continues to happen many kids.

Why does bedwetting happen? Bedwetting happens as a child is having small bladder capacity, which means it cannot hold much urine, not telling when he/she wants to go for a pee or during stressful times.

Some kids mature out of this bedwetting problem, while it continues for some kids till many years. To increase number of dry nights and less of bedwetting, here are few suggestions:

Tell your child that this is normal for kids for their age. It is not his/her fault and he / she is not doing it on purpose.

Do not punish your child for wetting his / her bed. Inform other family members not to tease your child about it.

Do not allow your child to drink water or any liquid in large doses near bedtime.

Make it a habit for your child to use the toilet just before going to bed.

Put a plastic sheet in between covers or cover and mattress, lest your child passes urine in the night.

If your child is willing to help clean the soiled sheets, let him / her help. Your child will feel better knowing that he / she has helped out.

Get your child to do bladder-stretching exercises. With these exercises, your child learns how to increase the time between urinating during daytime. This will help him / her to hold more urine at a stretch at night.

If your child continues wetting at night, consider awaking him / her every two or three hours to urinate.

This is a frustrating problem for both the parents and child, so you have to be patient. This problem usually resolves once the child gets older.

You can speak to your child’s doctor if you come across any signs of another medical condition. The doctor can check for UTI, constipation, bladder problem, or any burning sensation while passing urine.

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With the arrival of the new infant, laundry work is doubled. As parents, we want to the safest, most natural products to wash our baby’s clothes. Special formulated detergents for baby’s clothes do not remove all the stains. You might have to switch to your regular washing detergents or natural laundry supplies.

Your baby’s skin is the softest; hence avoid using products like harsh detergents, perfumed fabric softeners, which can irritate your baby’s sensitive skin or spark allergies that cause rashes. Read the care label on baby’s clothing especially sleepwear before washing. It’s best to wash baby clothes separately from the rest of the laundry.

Babies’ produce large amount of laundry and with them, fast action is the best defense. Presoak stains in cold water. Water helps remove most stains and spots, especially those of fresh drool or formula. If you soak the stains under water for sometime and rub lightly with a soft bristled brush and small amount of mild soap, stains can disappear.

After trying to remove the stains, check for it before drying. If the mark remains, you will have to use some stronger washing liquid. Be sure to rinse the clothing thoroughly after treating the stains.

For breast milk, formula or food stains, soak in plain water first, then use enzyme cleaner. If the stain remains, use all-purpose stain remover and launder as usual.

For fresh oil greasy stains, cover the area with talcum powder or cornstarch. Scrap off after sometime and launder as usual.

For stains from fruits or veggies, flush with cold water, soak in 1:1 solution of rubbing alcohol and water. Launder as usual if stain vanishes. For a stubborn stain, lightly bleach the area by soaking it in solution of white vinegar and water.

Clean diaper stains by treating the area with a tbsp of ammonia diluted in a cup of water. Then wash with all-purpose stain remove and launder as usual.

If you are not keen on using chemicals on baby clothes, try these natural laundry supplies:

Baking soda: Mix this effective cleaner and fabric softener with water to form a paste. Use it on stains to absorb odors. Or just add a spoonful to presoak the clothes.

Borax: This water-soluble mineral with antiseptic, antibacterial, water softening and whitening properties is a good diaper presoak.

Washing soda: Also known as sodium carbonate, two tbsp of this strong cleansing and degreasing mineral will remove greasy stains easily.

White vinegar: This naturally acidic liquid cuts grease, softens waters and lightens dingy laundry.

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