For Appointments: 0877 - 6690000, 7993933777

Toll Free No: 1800-208-6777

For Appointments: 0877 - 6690000,
7993933777

Toll Free No: 18002086777

Pediatrics & Neonatology

Amara Hospital

Health of your children is the most important thing in your life and theirs. We provide a full range of outpatient and inpatient services to keep children healthy and help them when they are sick.

Our team consists of Pediatrician, Pediatric Specialists (Orthopedics, Sleep, Critical Care), Nurses, Nutrition and Physical Therapy experts.

Amara Hospital is committed to the overall health of your child. We manage the developmental, physical, emotional, and behavioral health of your child from infancy to the age of 18.

Let us be partners in the care of your child’s health.

MEET OUR TEAM

Dr. Kishore Kumar C

Consultant
(Neonatologist)

Mon - Sat : 9 AM - 5 PM
  • EDUCATION 
  • EXPERIENCE
  • RESEARCH  
  • REWARDS
Dr. Namitha Myneni

Consultant
(Pediatrics)

Mon - Sat : 10 AM - 4 PM
  • EDUCATION 
  • EXPERIENCE
  • RESEARCH  
  • REWARDS
Dr Sravanthi.K

Consultant Paediatrician & neonatologist

Mon - Sat : 9 AM - 5 PM
  • EDUCATION
  • EXPERIENCE
  • RESEARCH
  • REWARDS

FOR A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER CHILD

ADDRESSING YOUR CONCERNS

Is my child obese?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of body fat (based on weight in relation to height). Children with a BMI between 85th and 94th percentile (same age and sex) are overweight, while ones with BMI at or above the 95th percentile are obese.

Go to https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html to calculate your child’s BMI by entering height and weight.

Childhood obesity may be harmful to children in several ways.

Obese children are:

obese-children

What causes obesity?

There has been a 10-fold increase in childhood obesity over the past 20 years (especially children aged 2-5 years). Studies show that 3.6 to 11.7% of Indian children are obese. By 2025 it is predicted that there will be 17 million obese children in India. So, why is this happening? This increase is a result of changes in lifestyle leading to:

 

Unhealthy diet
Children are eating more junk food and drinking sugary drinks. Families are going out to restaurants and eating more take-out food, resulting in the consumption of more preservatives and unhealthy food.

Less physical activity
Children are spending more time watching TV, playing video games and using the computer and smart phone. They are also spending less time playing outside and engaging in sports. Families too are preferring movie nights to going hiking or taking up outdoor activities. All this is resulting in a sedentary lifestyle.

Some children may be more prone to gaining weight, but by eating right and being active, they can maintain a healthy weight.

How can I prevent my child from becoming overweight / obese?

Be a good role model for your child by following a healthy lifestyle.
  1. Cook healthy dishes that your child likes.
  2. Try not to keep junk food at home. Identify healthy snacks (fruits, vegetables, nuts) for your child to eat if hungry between meals.
  3. If the child has the occasional chips or cookies, teach him / her to limit the quantity.
  4. Encourage eating smaller portions of food if you feel that the child is gaining weight.
  5. It is important for your child to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, rather than sugary drinks like soda and cool drinks.
  6. Limit the time your child spends on television, computer and smartphone.
  7. Encourage your child to be physically active.
  8. Please refer to:
    1. Encouraging your child to eat a balanced diet
    2. Is my child’s physical activity appropriate?

If your child is obese, it is not safe to put him / her on a diet without medical guidance. Schedule an appointment with Amara Hospital to take advantage of our Childhood Obesity Services.

Is my child obese?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of body fat (based on weight in relation to height). Children with a BMI between 85th and 94th percentile (same age and sex) are overweight, while ones with BMI at or above the 95th percentile are obese.

Go to https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html to calculate your child’s BMI by entering height and weight.

My child is bedwetting, can you help?

Bedwetting is when children are old enough to control their bladder, but urinate at night while asleep. Nocturnal enuresis is common in children under the age of 5 years, but may also occur in about 10% of children between 5 – 7 years.
Bedwetting can be stressful and embarrassing for parents as well as children.

What are the causes of bedwetting?

Bedwetting should not be attributed to laziness, although in a small number of cases, behavior may play a role. Parents should be patient and supportive with their children. There are a number of factors that may contribute to bedwetting:

What risk factors predispose your child to bedwetting?

What complications can occur due to bedwetting?

Although frustrating, bedwetting has no real consequences, unless there is a structural or medical cause. However, there are issues that you need to watch for:

What can you do to help your child from bedwetting?

If your child continues to wet the bed after 7 years of age, consult a pediatrician

What questions will your doctor ask you?

What are the treatments available?

Behavioral therapies, medications and wetting alarms are available.
Make an appointment with Amara Hospital today to help your child.

My child is bedwetting, can you help?

Bedwetting is when children are old enough to control their bladder, but urinate at night while asleep. Nocturnal enuresis is common in children under the age of 5 years, but may also occur in about 10% of children between 5 – 7 years.
Bedwetting can be stressful and embarrassing for parents as well as children.

There is more to development than just checking height and weight. While growth looks at size, development looks at function. There are a number of other milestones to look for. Dr. Swetha Reddy, Pediatrician at Amara Hospital, says that you should look for other motor and language skills in the first months of your baby’s life.

Babies begin to vocalize around 1 month, and at 3 months they will push their head up while lying on their stomach. By 4 months, they chatter and start to laugh. To track your child’s development, please visit https://pathways.org/. This describes age-specific milestones and abilities (with videos) and suggested games for each age.

From birth to age five, a child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time in life, and will have a long-term impact on health and future success in school and life. Understanding age-wise development, detecting problems early and addressing them appropriately is very important for babies and young children.

At Amara, we believe in the holistic development of your child. To ensure that your child is on track, take advantage of our Well Baby and Well Child Health Checks.

Spondylolysis

Each vertebrae of the human spine is a complete ring-like structure, with central vertebral canal consisting of spinal cord and nerve fibers. For better understanding, the vertebrae can be divided into three portions, the front portion (anterior) is called “vertebral body” and the middle portion consists of pedicles on either side of the spinal cord and the posterior (rear) portion consists of facet joints(superior and inferior), pars interarticularis, and the spinous process. Any break or discontinuity in pars interarticularis is called Spondylolysis.

Spondylolysis (also referred to as “pars fracture”) is usually a fracture caused by repetitive stress rather than a break due to injury, and commonly occurs during childhood or adolescence. The crack may affect only one side, but there are quite a few cases with fractures on either side of the vertebra. When this happens, a vertebra could slide forward or backward onto another one; a condition that is known as spondylolisthesis.

Illustration of the Spinal Column and Location of a Pars Fracture (Spondylolysis)

Spondylolysis is a common condition in physically active children and teenagers. While some of them may experience symptoms, others may not develop symptoms until later in adulthood.

The symptoms include pain and stiffness in the lower back that gets aggravated with activity and gets better with rest. Hyperextension or abnormal stretching of the lower back will usually worsen the condition as it overloads the pars fracture.

At times, nerve symptoms such as “pins and needles” sensation in a leg, with or without numbness or weakness, may be experienced.

The evaluation for this condition will usually involve a review of the patient’s medical history and a physical examination, followed by X-rays to detect pars fractures.

The doctor may advise a bone scan for early detection of a stress fracture of the pars. In this procedure, chemical "tracers" are injected into the blood stream. The tracers converge in areas of increased metabolism or cell activity in bone tissue, indicating a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis, and then show up on special spine X-rays.

To evaluate a pars defect and visualize healing bone, a CT scan may be used, while to assess the surrounding tissue and condition of the disc an MRI may be recommended.

Spondylolysis treatment is initially nonsurgical and includes rest and bracing, which can last up to 3-4 months. The fracture is assessed with a series of X-rays/ bone scan/ CT scan every few months to see if it has healed.

Physical therapy can also be used to help maintain and strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and back with specific directed exercises.

Surgery

If pain persists after non-surgical treatment, surgery may be required. There are two operations that may be performed:

  1. Pars repair: This is a minor surgery, wherein the pars fracture is fixed with screws and bone graft, with the principle of bony fusion like any other fracture.
  2. Interbody fusion: If the procedure is delayed, there can be degeneration of the disc and increased pressure on the nerve roots, wherein pars repair is contra-indicated, then Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion is performed.

Is my child obese?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of body fat (based on weight in relation to height). Children with a BMI between 85th and 94th percentile (same age and sex) are overweight, while ones with BMI at or above the 95th percentile are obese.

Go to https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html to calculate your child’s BMI by entering height and weight.

Childhood obesity may be harmful to children in several ways.

Obese children are:

obese-children

What causes obesity?

There has been a 10-fold increase in childhood obesity over the past 20 years (especially children aged 2-5 years). Studies show that 3.6 to 11.7% of Indian children are obese. By 2025 it is predicted that there will be 17 million obese children in India. So, why is this happening? This increase is a result of changes in lifestyle leading to:

 

Unhealthy diet
Children are eating more junk food and drinking sugary drinks. Families are going out to restaurants and eating more take-out food, resulting in the consumption of more preservatives and unhealthy food.

Less physical activity
Children are spending more time watching TV, playing video games and using the computer and smart phone. They are also spending less time playing outside and engaging in sports. Families too are preferring movie nights to going hiking or taking up outdoor activities. All this is resulting in a sedentary lifestyle.

Some children may be more prone to gaining weight, but by eating right and being active, they can maintain a healthy weight.

How can I prevent my child from becoming overweight / obese?

Be a good role model for your child by following a healthy lifestyle.
  1. Cook healthy dishes that your child likes.
  2. Try not to keep junk food at home. Identify healthy snacks (fruits, vegetables, nuts) for your child to eat if hungry between meals.
  3. If the child has the occasional chips or cookies, teach him / her to limit the quantity.
  4. Encourage eating smaller portions of food if you feel that the child is gaining weight.
  5. It is important for your child to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, rather than sugary drinks like soda and cool drinks.
  6. Limit the time your child spends on television, computer and smartphone.
  7. Encourage your child to be physically active.
  8. Please refer to:
    1. Encouraging your child to eat a balanced diet
    2. Is my child’s physical activity appropriate?

If your child is obese, it is not safe to put him / her on a diet without medical guidance. Schedule an appointment with Amara Hospital to take advantage of our Childhood Obesity Services.

Is my child obese?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of body fat (based on weight in relation to height). Children with a BMI between 85th and 94th percentile (same age and sex) are overweight, while ones with BMI at or above the 95th percentile are obese.

Go to https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html to calculate your child’s BMI by entering height and weight.

My child is bedwetting, can you help?

Bedwetting is when children are old enough to control their bladder, but urinate at night while asleep. Nocturnal enuresis is common in children under the age of 5 years, but may also occur in about 10% of children between 5 – 7 years.
Bedwetting can be stressful and embarrassing for parents as well as children.

What are the causes of bedwetting?

Bedwetting should not be attributed to laziness, although in a small number of cases, behavior may play a role. Parents should be patient and supportive with their children. There are a number of factors that may contribute to bedwetting:

What risk factors predispose your child to bedwetting?

What complications can occur due to bedwetting?

Although frustrating, bedwetting has no real consequences, unless there is a structural or medical cause. However, there are issues that you need to watch for:

What can you do to help your child from bedwetting?

If your child continues to wet the bed after 7 years of age, consult a pediatrician

What questions will your doctor ask you?

What are the treatments available?

Behavioral therapies, medications and wetting alarms are available.
Make an appointment with Amara Hospital today to help your child.

My child is bedwetting, can you help?

Bedwetting is when children are old enough to control their bladder, but urinate at night while asleep. Nocturnal enuresis is common in children under the age of 5 years, but may also occur in about 10% of children between 5 – 7 years.
Bedwetting can be stressful and embarrassing for parents as well as children.

There is more to development than just checking height and weight. While growth looks at size, development looks at function. There are a number of other milestones to look for. Dr. Swetha Reddy, Pediatrician at Amara Hospital, says that you should look for other motor and language skills in the first months of your baby’s life.

Babies begin to vocalize around 1 month, and at 3 months they will push their head up while lying on their stomach. By 4 months, they chatter and start to laugh. To track your child’s development, please visit https://pathways.org/. This describes age-specific milestones and abilities (with videos) and suggested games for each age.

From birth to age five, a child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time in life, and will have a long-term impact on health and future success in school and life. Understanding age-wise development, detecting problems early and addressing them appropriately is very important for babies and young children.

At Amara, we believe in the holistic development of your child. To ensure that your child is on track, take advantage of our Well Baby and Well Child Health Checks.

Spondylolysis

Each vertebrae of the human spine is a complete ring-like structure, with central vertebral canal consisting of spinal cord and nerve fibers. For better understanding, the vertebrae can be divided into three portions, the front portion (anterior) is called “vertebral body” and the middle portion consists of pedicles on either side of the spinal cord and the posterior (rear) portion consists of facet joints(superior and inferior), pars interarticularis, and the spinous process. Any break or discontinuity in pars interarticularis is called Spondylolysis.

Spondylolysis (also referred to as “pars fracture”) is usually a fracture caused by repetitive stress rather than a break due to injury, and commonly occurs during childhood or adolescence. The crack may affect only one side, but there are quite a few cases with fractures on either side of the vertebra. When this happens, a vertebra could slide forward or backward onto another one; a condition that is known as spondylolisthesis.

Illustration of the Spinal Column and Location of a Pars Fracture (Spondylolysis)

Spondylolysis is a common condition in physically active children and teenagers. While some of them may experience symptoms, others may not develop symptoms until later in adulthood.

The symptoms include pain and stiffness in the lower back that gets aggravated with activity and gets better with rest. Hyperextension or abnormal stretching of the lower back will usually worsen the condition as it overloads the pars fracture.

At times, nerve symptoms such as “pins and needles” sensation in a leg, with or without numbness or weakness, may be experienced.

The evaluation for this condition will usually involve a review of the patient’s medical history and a physical examination, followed by X-rays to detect pars fractures.

The doctor may advise a bone scan for early detection of a stress fracture of the pars. In this procedure, chemical "tracers" are injected into the blood stream. The tracers converge in areas of increased metabolism or cell activity in bone tissue, indicating a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis, and then show up on special spine X-rays.

To evaluate a pars defect and visualize healing bone, a CT scan may be used, while to assess the surrounding tissue and condition of the disc an MRI may be recommended.

Spondylolysis treatment is initially nonsurgical and includes rest and bracing, which can last up to 3-4 months. The fracture is assessed with a series of X-rays/ bone scan/ CT scan every few months to see if it has healed.

Physical therapy can also be used to help maintain and strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and back with specific directed exercises.

Surgery

If pain persists after non-surgical treatment, surgery may be required. There are two operations that may be performed:

  1. Pars repair: This is a minor surgery, wherein the pars fracture is fixed with screws and bone graft, with the principle of bony fusion like any other fracture.
  2. Interbody fusion: If the procedure is delayed, there can be degeneration of the disc and increased pressure on the nerve roots, wherein pars repair is contra-indicated, then Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion is performed.

Flat feet (also known as pes planus) are a normal part of a child’s development. Most babies are born with flat feet, and their arches typically develop as they grow older—usually by the age of 6. In many cases, flat feet cause no discomfort and do not require treatment. However, if your child experiences pain, difficulty walking, or uneven shoe wear, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation.

 

  • Common in Young Children: Most children are born with flat feet; arches may not be visible until around age 6.

  • Usually Not Painful: In most cases, flat feet do not cause pain or interfere with walking or running.

  • Normal Development: Arch formation happens gradually as the child grows and their muscles and bones develop.

  • When to Seek Advice: Consult a doctor if your child complains of foot or leg pain, has trouble walking, or shows signs of imbalance.

  • Treatment Rarely Needed: Most children outgrow flat feet without any intervention; special shoes or inserts are rarely necessary.

  • Custom Care Available: If needed, pediatric orthopedists can offer advice, custom insoles, or physiotherapy for persistent issues.

YOUR GUIDE TO RAISING
A HEALTHY CHILD

Adequate sleep is essential for a child’s growth, development, learning, and emotional well-being. As children grow, their sleep needs change, and not getting enough rest can affect their behavior, concentration, mood, and overall health. Understanding how much sleep your child needs and recognizing the signs of sleep deprivation are key to ensuring they thrive.

1. Recommended Sleep Durations by Age:

  • Newborns (0–3 months): 14–17 hours/day

  • Infants (4–12 months): 12–16 hours (including naps)

  • Toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours (including naps)

  • Preschoolers (3–5 years): 10–13 hours (including naps)

  • School-aged children (6–12 years): 9–12 hours

  • Teenagers (13–18 years): 8–10 hours

2. Signs Your Child May Not Be Getting Enough Sleep:

  • Trouble waking up in the morning

  • Irritability or mood swings

  • Difficulty concentrating or learning

  • Hyperactivity or impulsiveness

  • Falling asleep during the day (e.g., at school or in the car)

3. Tips for Promoting Healthy Sleep Habits:

  • Establish a consistent bedtime routine

  • Create a quiet, cool, and dark sleep environment

  • Limit screen time before bed

  • Encourage physical activity during the day

  • Avoid caffeine or sugar close to bedtime

4. When to Seek Medical Advice:

  • If your child snores heavily or has breathing difficulties during sleep

  • Frequent nightmares or night terrors

  • Persistent trouble falling or staying asleep

  • Daytime fatigue despite long sleep hours

5. Why Sleep Matters:

  • Boosts immune function

  • Supports memory and learning

  • Aids in physical growth and repair

  • Enhances emotional regulation

What is normal growth?

Growth is increase in the size of the body or quantitative growth (includes height and weight). Other components of growth include brain growth (head circumference) and nutritional status (mid-arm circumference). Growth also goes hand in hand with development (see Is my child’s development on track?)

What is normal growth?

Growth is increase in the size of the body or quantitative growth (includes height and weight). Other components of growth include brain growth (head circumference) and nutritional status (mid-arm circumference). Growth also goes hand in hand with development (see Is my child’s development on track?)

Growth in the first year of life is remarkable. The baby grows 10 inches (25cm) on average, and its birth weight triples. After this the growth slows a bit. After the age of 2, your child will grow about 2.5 inches (6cm) a year till adolescence, but this is variable. There may be times of slow growth, followed by growth spurts.

Conditions_03A

How can I monitor my child's growth?

We will monitor your child’s growth during the Well Baby and Well Child Health Checks. To monitor your child’s growth at home, refer to the below links:

GROWTH CHARTS FOR 0-5 YEARS

If your child’s height and weight falls between the 2 redlines, then your child is growing normally.

When should I be concerned about my child's growth?
If your child's height or weight falls above or below the red lines, you should be concerned and schedule an appointment with Amara Hospital. There are many possible causes of poor growth. Our pediatrician will evaluate your child for underlying medical, hormonal and other disorders as and when required.

How can I ensure that my child grows properly?

Enough rest: Most children need 10-12 hours of sleep; adolescents require 8-10 hours per night. Sleep is essential for growth, since growth hormone is secreted during slow wave sleep. In addition, reduced and disturbed sleep in older children will suppress Leptin (satiety hormone), increasing hunger which may lead to obesity.

Good nutrition: A balanced diet, rich in necessary vitamins and minerals will enable children to reach their full growth potential.

Regular exercise: Ensure children are physically active. Encourage them to run, cycle, dance and play sports. Exercise strengthens bones, tones muscles, and keeps children active and happy. Set limits for the time they sit in front of the TV, computer and use the smartphone.

There is more to development than just checking height and weight. While growth looks at size, development looks at function. There are a number of other milestones to look for. Dr. Swetha Reddy, Pediatrician at Amara Hospital, says that you should look for other motor and language skills in the first months of your baby’s life.

Babies begin to vocalize around 1 month, and at 3 months they will push their head up while lying on their stomach. By 4 months, they chatter and start to laugh. To track your child’s development, please visit https://pathways.org/. This describes age-specific milestones and abilities (with videos) and suggested games for each age.

From birth to age five, a child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time in life, and will have a long-term impact on health and future success in school and life. Understanding age-wise development, detecting problems early and addressing them appropriately is very important for babies and young children.

At Amara, we believe in the holistic development of your child. To ensure that your child is on track, take advantage of our Well Baby and Well Child Health Checks.

There is more to development than just checking height and weight. While growth looks at size, development looks at function. There are a number of other milestones to look for. Dr. Swetha Reddy, Pediatrician at Amara Hospital, says that you should look for other motor and language skills in the first months of your baby’s life.

Babies begin to vocalize around 1 month, and at 3 months they will push their head up while lying on their stomach. By 4 months, they chatter and start to laugh. To track your child’s development, please visit https://pathways.org/. This describes age-specific milestones and abilities (with videos) and suggested games for each age.

From birth to age five, a child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time in life, and will have a long-term impact on health and future success in school and life. Understanding age-wise development, detecting problems early and addressing them appropriately is very important for babies and young children.

At Amara, we believe in the holistic development of your child. To ensure that your child is on track, take advantage of our Well Baby and Well Child Health Checks.

What is immunization?

Immunization is a process which makes a person immune to an infectious disease by administering a vaccine (shot). The vaccine consists of a small amount of germ which causes the disease that you are trying to protect your child from. This stimulates your child’s own immune system to develop antibodies against the disease.

What is immunization?

Immunization is a process which makes a person immune to an infectious disease by administering a vaccine (shot). The vaccine consists of a small amount of germ which causes the disease that you are trying to protect your child from. This stimulates your child’s own immune system to develop antibodies against the disease.

What types of vaccines are there?

There are different types of vaccines:

Attenuated (weakened) live virus
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella – MMR
Killed virus or bacteria
Inactivated Polio
Toxoid vaccine (inactivated toxin produced by bacterium)
Diphtheria, Tetanus Toxoid
Conjugated vaccine (parts of bacteria with protein)
Haemophilus Influenza Type B

Why should I immunize my child?
Failure to give your child the correct shots at the appropriate time will put him/her at risk of developing childhood illnesses like Polio, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Pneumonia. Refer to the immunization chart for an understanding of age-specific vaccination requirement for your child. Regular Well Baby and Well Child Health Checks will allow our team to ensure that your child receives the correct shots

When should different vaccines be given?

Vaccine Abbreviation

What is a balanced diet?

Children need a balanced diet with different foods and proportions, so they receive all of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, protein, and calories in the correct amount. Too little or too much will lead to nutrition-related problems. A food pyramid is a good way to understand how to plan your child’s daily

How can I teach my child to eat healthy food?

Teaching children to eat healthy should start early. Be a role model for your children by keeping a healthy selection of food at home, and by eating healthy food yourself. Keeping junk food at home and expecting your child to eat only fruits and vegetables will not work.

What else can I do?

What are the effects of poor nutrition on children?

Nutritional deficiencies (or) low calorie food
Impaired growth, poor development of bones
High sugar food and carbonated drinks, preservatives
Dental caries, muscle cramps
High intake of food, especially if high in sugar
Obesity, early onset of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer
Cognitive and behavioral problems
Delay in milestones like language, learning disabilities, ADHD*, restlessness, temper tantrums, nervousness.

*ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is characterized by problems with attention, hyperactivity, poor organization,
and low self-esteem. Poor nutrition is one possible cause.

What is a balanced diet?

Children need a balanced diet with different foods and proportions, so they receive all of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, protein, and calories in the correct amount. Too little or too much will lead to nutrition-related problems. A food pyramid is a good way to understand how to plan your child’s daily

Types of physical activity (PA) include:

  1. Aerobics : makes heart beat faster (running, swimming)
  2. Muscle Strengthening : strengthens muscles.
  3. Bone Strengthening : strengthens bones.

What are the benefits of PA?

Regular physical activity (PA) is good for children's bodies. It promotes growth and development in young children (ages 3 – 5 years). It is also important for older children and adolescents to grow strong bones and muscles, build endurance and maintain a healthy weight.

Studies have revealed that any kind of physical activity, ranging from moderate to vigorous, serves to enhance children's critical thinking abilities, helping improve their school performance.

Children and young adults who exercise regularly are more likely to exercise as adults and will seek fitness throughout their lifespan. The single strongest predictor of fitness and well-being in later life was whether someone played a varsity sport in high school (2014 World War II Veterans study, 2014)

How much physical activity does my child need?

Exercise should be encouraged throughout the day for younger children (ages 3 to 5 years).

Older children and adolescents (6-17 years) should exercise for at least 60 minutes a day. This should include muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening exercise at least 3 times a week

Type of Physical Activity

Examples

Moderate Aerobics
(strenuous enough to burn 3-6 times as much energy/minute compared to sitting quietly)

Brisk walking, Bicycle riding (plain road), Hiking, swimming, Games that require catching and throwing, (cricket, throw ball, badminton) garden work, housework such as sweeping

Vigorous Aerobics
(strenuous enough to burn > 6 times as much energy/ minute)

Running Bicycle riding (may include hills) ,Games that require running (tag), Jumping rope, Martial arts (Karate, Tae Kwan Do), Sports (Soccer, Basketball, Swimming, Tennis) , Vigorous dancing
https://marathonkids.org/pe-running-games/

Muscle- strengthening

Games such as tug of war push-ups, squats, Climbing rope, tree or playground equipment, Yoga, Resistance exercise using weights, resistance bands and hand held weights (should have supervision initially) https://forkidsplus.com/30-strength-exercises-for-kids/

Bone- strengthening

Hopping, skipping, jumping
Running , Sports that require, jumping or rapid changes in direction

How can I encourage my child (or adolescent) to be more physically active?

Types of physical activity (PA) include:

  1. Aerobics : makes heart beat faster (running, swimming)
  2. Muscle Strengthening : strengthens muscles.
  3. Bone Strengthening : strengthens bones.