School bags cause kids to suffer backache: Survey

DEHRADUN: In a wake
up call for government and
parents, an ASSOCHAM
survey has revealed that
over 82 per cent of the children
between age group of
5-12 are carrying avoidable
‘excessively load’ in their
school bags causing higher
risk of back pain, stress and
even hunchback, specially
in girls.
The country-wide ASSOCHAM
survey conducted
under its Social Development
Foundation (SDF),
shows majority of private
schools were grossly violating
Central government’s
strict norms for Children’s
School Bag Act 2006. The
survey was conducted in
March-April’12 in 10 major
cities of Delhi, Kolkata,
Chennai, Bangalore,
Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune,
Ahemdabad, Lucknow,
Jaipur, Dehradun during
which more than 2,000 pupils
and 2,000 parents were
randomly interviewed by
the industry body.
It revealed that nearly 58
per cent of children below
the age of 10 were already
suffering from mild back
pains, which could develop
into chronic pains and later,
in a hunchback. Nearly
82 per cent of children carried
as much as over 35 per
cent of their weight on their
backs. The stresses from
excess weights may cause
harm and may adversely
affect the growth of the
musculo-skeletal system,
Chairman ASSOCHAM
Health Committee Dr B K
Rao, said. The back pain
was a bigger problem in
girls, with the risk of pain
increasing with age. The
heaviest backpacks have a
50 per cent higher risk of
back pain than those carrying
the lightest, added Mr
D S Rawat, Secretary General
ASSOCHAM. It was
observed that around 1,500
kids below the age of 12
could not sit properly without
the support of slouch
and suffered from orthopedic
problems and 40 per cent
were physically inactive.
Majority of the parents
complained that on an average,
there were seven to
eight periods in a day and
each subject involved a
minimum of three books, a
textbook, a workbook and
a notebook. So, every day
children had to carry 21
books for seven to eight periods.
In addition, over 78 per
cent of parents said children
were required to carry
a book with half drawn images
and complete colour
kit for drawing or crafts and
also sports kit.
They also carries lunch box
and water bottle. About
86 per cent of the students
said lockers were either
not available at all or were
not easily accessible in the
school premises for small
children.
Dr Rao said children
should not carry anything
weighing more than 10 per
cent of their body weight
and parents should monitor
their children when they
are packing their bags. They
should ensure that children
should stick to their time
table and did not carry unnecessary
material. Dr
Rao suggested that children
should wear a well-designed
backpack and also encouraged
to exercise regularly,
which will improve their
muscle tone.
ASSOCHAM has urged
the government to be aware
of the strains and stresses
placed upon young bodies as
they grow. Many schools especially
private mistakenly
believe heavy schools bags
mean better learning.