Health Tips for March 9

Health Tip: Choose the Right Backpack

Children can suffer bruises, muscle stiffness and strains from backpacks that are too heavy or are worn improperly.

The U.S. National Safety Council makes these recommendations when selecting a backpack for your child:

* Choose a backpack designed for safety and comfort, with padding in the back and shoulders.
* A backpack should have belts that strap around the hips and chest for extra support.
* Look for pockets and compartments inside the backpack to more evenly distribute the weight across the back.
* Look for a backpack with straps on the sides or bottom to compress the contents, so that items are as close to the back as possible
* Look for a backpack with reflective stripes for increased visibility at night.

Health Tip: Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, often called the central nervous system.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says episodes (attacks) of MS can trigger the following symptoms, ranging from mild to severe:

* Weakness, paralysis, pain, or extremity tremor.
* Muscle spasms or atrophy.
* Numbness or tingling.
* Vision problems, including loss of vision, blurred vision, double vision, eye pain, or uncontrolled rapid eye movement.
* Dizziness, vertigo, loss of balance, decreased coordination, or difficulty walking.
* Urinary problems, including frequent urination and incontinence.
* Decreased mental capacity, including ability to think clearly, concentrate, remember, generalize, and think in abstract terms.