Give children the opportunity to promote good health

All children need adequate sleep, a nutritious diet and regular exercise. It's not a complicated recipe, but in the midst of everyday life, it can be difficult for children and their families.

Sleep is one of the most important things I talk to children and parents who come to me at the HSU because of various problems. I find that there is too little respect for sleep, both for children and adults, and the opportunity to get enough sleep should be a priority in every home.

The main obstacle to good sleep hygiene is in my opinion use of devices, which often requires the cooperation of everyone in the home to establish good sleep habits. It has been a success for many families that after dinner is closed, access to screens is provided for both children and adults. Family time will often be in a new format, stimulation will not be as great just before bedtime and it will be easier to go to sleep at a reasonable time.

Added sugar is a particular threat to children's health, but it is often hidden in a quick and inexpensive diet. The pace of society often leads to a lack of time for cooking with nutritious food, and as a result we choose what is easy and quick. Many of our children have little knowledge of food and grab whatever is next when they get home from school. It falls to our parents to teach their children about nutrition, ingredients, the composition of a healthy meal and to make them part of the cooking process. Such knowledge is extremely important because with age the children themselves need to take more responsibility for food choices.

Physical activity is an important factor for good health. It promotes wellbeing, improves sleep, strengthens bones and muscles, which is particularly important in growing children. School sports and swimming are often the only activity children get if they do not practice sports. Weather and moving makes children often shuttle instead of using the trip for exercise. But when the opportunity arises, I urge everyone to ask themselves: Could I go on foot or by bike, and I do not mean an electric scooter. The biggest challenge for regular exercise is just to do it regularly, get exercise into the routine and habits. Here parents can help their children a lot and organise a joint exercise, whether it is some outdoor activity or exercise at home, as parental involvement can be key over time.

I want parents and guardians to wonder: Is my child getting enough sleep? Is your diet nutritious? Is there a lot of added sugar in the diet? Does my child exercise regularly?

If not, what are the potentials for improving the factors that contribute to health and what obstacles are there?

Vignir Sigurðsson, paediatrician at Suðurlands Healthcare