How to Find Out if Your Child’s Backpack is Too Heavy

When I was in school, I traveled light. Until about the fourth grade I just went with my Scooby-Doo and Star Wars lunchbox. Then I started carrying a "book bag" with a few school supplies. According to experts, today kids are carrying way too much to and from school.

According to an article by the Sun Journal, a Lewiston doctor is seeing way too many kids come to appointments after school with a backpack that is far too heavy or being worn improperly.

How do you find out how much is too much? It's pretty easy actually. 10% of your child's weight is the ideal amount they should carry for proper health. That's easy math. If you're kid weigh 75 pounds, 7.5 pounds max. This is the kind of math they're probably are learning right now. Anything over 20% of your child's weight is really bad. Too much weight could cause curves in children's backs.

Wearing the backpack properly is also important. According to Dr. Linda Glass, backpacks should be worn high on the back with the weight resting on the flattest part of the back between the shoulder blades. No low hanging backpacks.

If you want to learn more about the health problems associated with a heavy backpack, check out the Sun Journal's article below.