Habits developed during childhood often shape lifelong health outcomes.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in, using the login form, below, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account and connect your subscription to it by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
Habits developed during childhood often shape lifelong health outcomes. Encouraging healthy habits from an early age can significantly improve children's quality of life as they grow older. Every Kid Healthy Week, observed annually during the last full week of April, serves as an initiative to empower kids to start healthy habits early in life.
"Kids are growing so much in these years and we want them to build strong bones, strong muscles, and to feel good about their bodies,” Lindsay Stevenson, MD, Family Medicine Resident Physician with Aspirus Wausau Family Medicine said. “Forming healthy habits early on can help kids prevent or lower the risk of developing diseases and other medical conditions later in life."
With support from organizations like the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) and Child Mind Institute (CMI), Aspirus Health offers six healthy habits for families to implement at home:
“Get outside, be physical and just enjoy being a kid and getting that energy out,” encourages Dr. Stevenson.
“These appointments allow us to monitor how a child is growing and then if any concerns pop up, we can address it right away,” says Dr. Stevenson. “It’s really important to monitor their overall health, their development and make sure they're on a good course for the rest of their life.”
Encouraging children to make healthy choices and providing them with the resources and support they need can set them up for a healthy, long and fulfilling life. Talk to your child’s PCP for more information about healthy changes your family can be making at home. To find a provider in your area, visit www.aspirus.org/find-a-provider.