If your child's backpack is nearly as big as he is, or it looks like he's packed enough to go camping for a week rather than spend a day at school, she may be on overload. A backpack that's too heavy can have detrimental side effects. Buying your child a bag on wheels is not necessarily the answer; those bags have their own problems, especially on stairways or through crowds.
Ideal Weight and Use
Backpacks that are too heavy or used improperly can cause some weighty problems for your child, according to Kids Health and Healthy Children. The total weight of the backpack should only be between 10 percent and 15 percent of your child's body weight. That means a 100-lb. child should carry about 10 lbs. to 15 lbs. Other problems crop up from the backpack's weight not being evenly distributed, such as when worn over one shoulder or when the bag is packed unevenly.
Pain
Kids can suffer back, neck and shoulder pain if their backpacks are too heavy. The pain often comes from the weight of the backpack pulling the child backward and the child bending forward or arching his back to keep the backpack centered, Kids Health says. Such actions make the spine compressed, pushing the vertebrae down on the discs in between them. This often results in pain.
Poor Posture and Circulation
Poor posture and even poor circulation are two more hazards of a hefty backpack, Kids Health warns. Constantly straining under a backpack's weight, especially for kids who are continuously bending forward or arching their backs, is a recipe for poor posture. Poor circulation comes from heavy backpacks that have straps that are too tight or too thin that dig into a child's upper arms and shoulders. Such straps can hinder circulation as well as the nerves, leaving a child's arms and hands weak and numb.
Other Hazards
A few other hazards come with a too-heavy backpack, Healthy Kids cautions, and not only for kids wearing the packs. Heavy, bulky packs can easily smash into nearby classmates, especially in crowded hallways or in a cramped school bus. The backpacks can also get in the way on the floor, making kids trip, or fall from a shelf and hit kids on the head. Heavy packs can also throw a child off-balance on stairways or other uneven terrain.
Lightening the Load
Kids Health and Healthy Children advise a proper fit and lightening the load. Leave out any items your child does not absolutely need for that day, such as laptops or other electronic devices, extra books or notepads. Also ensure your child only brings home items he needs for that night's homework. While at school, urge your child to use his locker, desk or other storage areas so he doesn't have to cart around so much stuff.
